NASA publishes map of areas containing water ice on Mars: Why is it important?

NASA specialists have published an updated map of Mars, pinpointing potential water ice deposits beneath the planet's surface. The map highlights regions where water ice is believed to exist at depths not exceeding one meter. Water ice is a crucial resource that could fuel and sustain future missions to Mars, whether manned or robotic. The presence of easily accessible ice will be a determining factor in selecting landing sites for future expeditions.

For NASA's missions to Mars, water is needed in regions of moderate latitudes, specifically those near the equator. While water ice is almost certainly present at the poles and in polar regions, the extremely low temperatures there prevent it from evaporating into the planet's thin atmosphere. However, residing at the poles or within the Martian Arctic Circle is resource-intensive.

The equatorial zone, although the warmest, is less suitable for gentle landings due to the challenging atmospheric conditions. The Martian atmosphere is already extremely thin, making it difficult to slow descent vehicles. Therefore, regions with moderate latitudes that are closer to the equator are considered ideal for landing and establishing bases. This is where NASA's Subsurface Water Ice Mapping program focuses its search for subsurface water ice.

The updated map, displaying probable water ice locations at depths of up to one meter, is based on data from three Martian orbital spacecraft: the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), the Mars Odyssey from 2001, and the now-inactive Mars Global Surveyor. Previous data was made public in 2017. Scientists analyze Mars' surface images and identify potential water ice locations based on specific surface features, such as seasonal fissures or certain soil types that develop in the presence of water.

Particularly valuable for detecting water ice on Mars are fresh impact craters caused by meteorite strikes. These craters, often around 10 meters in diameter, displace soil and reveal ice. In some cases, researchers even benefit from the fortuitous discovery of craters as large as 150 meters in diameter created by particularly massive meteorite impacts. In such fractures, high-resolution orbital cameras clearly capture ice traces. Scientists use indirect data to identify signs of subsurface ice, and meteorites effectively corroborate these findings.

NASA's future plans include a specialized radar scan program to investigate subsurface ice on Mars. To achieve this, the Mars Ice Mapper spacecraft with a powerful specialized radar will be sent into Mars orbit. This will expand the mapping of potential water ice distribution areas on Mars and likely confirm today's observations.