Mars has long been fascinating scientists the world over even before
it was first described by Aristotle in 356 BC. Later, in 1610, a man
named Galileo Galilee observed its gibbous phase through his newly
invented telescope. Researchers now know enough about Mars to believe
that it may hold the key to answering questions about the history of
the Earth. It is still unclear as to whether or not any microscopic
life form existed on Mars.
Over the next decade NASA will launch a series of spacecraft to orbit
Mars and land on its surface. The Mars Pathfinder and Mars Global Surveyor
missions will be followed by the launchings of two spacecraft every
two years until 2005. These missions will focus on studying the conditions
for the emergence of life on Mars, particularly the history of climate
and water. Starting in 2005, missions will focus on collecting rocks
from three regions on Mars and it is expected that the first samples
will be returned to Earth during the same year. These robotic explorations
will pave the way for a human expedition sometime around 2020.
