A new study suggests that a patch of terrain in Mars’ mid-latitudes holds ice just beneath the dusty soil. Led by University of Mississippi planetary geologist Erica Luzzi, researchers examined Amazonis Planitia using ultra-sharp images from NASA’s HiRISE camera.
The team identified telltale textures – fresh-looking craters, polygonal fracture patterns, and subtle undulations – that on Earth are often carved by ground ice. The evidence indicates that pockets of water ice may lurk less than a meter below ground, making it accessible to robotic drills or future astronauts.
This discovery is significant for two reasons: survival and self-sufficiency. Water is essential for drinking, breathing, growing food, and making rocket fuel. Hauling tons of water from Earth would make missions expensive. Instead, planners hope to practice in situ resource utilization (ISRU) – tapping local materials to slash launch mass and cost.
Amazonis Planitia sits in the climatic sweet spot near the equator, with temperatures and light improving while ice retreats underground. The region offers a compromise between power and preservation, making it ideal for future landing sites.
To verify the team’s interpretation, robotic scouts will need to probe the thickness and continuity of the buried ice using orbital radar sounders. A rover or lander equipped with a drill and spectrometers will also be needed to sample the material directly.
The discovery highlights that Mars is far from a barren wasteland and may hold essential resources and clues to past or present life. The study’s findings have implications for future missions, including crewed exploration of the Red Planet.
Source: https://www.earth.com/news/shallow-ice-discovered-on-mars-could-help-future-human-missions