Mars

NASA and the European Space Agency are gearing up to bring home a pristine sample of Martian rock. But given the small chance of life on the red planet, they have to grapple with safety questions.

NASA should send probes to the ice giant planet of Uranus and to a moon of Saturn where conditions could be right for life. Those are some of the recommendations in a new report to the space agency.

In 2016, Musk said that a "meaningful number of people" could reach the red planet in 10 years. Now, he seems to predict a crewed Mars landing in 2029.

The mission, which had been set for this year, is a part of the ExoMars program to search for signs of life on Mars. It's likely to be delayed by nations' response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Since touching down in Jezero Crater, NASA's Perseverance rover has already cached 6 samples that could one day be brought back to Earth. Astrobiologists hope they hold signs of past microbial life.

Two microphones aboard the Perseverance Rover make it possible to listen in on the Red Planet. They've captured nearly five hours of sounds, including the Martian wind.

A new study indicates that the relatively low mass of Mars allowed most of its water to be lost to space billions of years ago, rather than retained on its surface.

The tiny helicopter took off and hovered briefly — the first such flight on another planet. The Perseverance rover kept tabs on the mission from a viewing point about 60 yards away.

Jet Propulsion Laboratory project manager MiMi Aung gave an enthusiastic two thumbs-up and then clenched fists before a roomful of engineers erupted in applause.

Nuclear rocket technology might be the fastest, safest way to get to the red planet. But if NASA wants to go, it should start development now.

Mars will be in "opposition" on Oct. 13: the sun and Mars will be on opposite sides of Earth. It's going to be ideal for viewing the red planet.

Tianwen-1, which combines an orbiter, lander and rover in a single shot, would be China's second attempt to reach the red planet after a 2011 mission failed.