Mars, our enigmatic neighbor in the solar system, proves more and more intriguing with each new space mission. The mission Mars express of ESA, the European Space Agency, has marked an extraordinary chapter in this ongoing exploration, discovering something that has the power to radically change our understanding of the Red Planet.
Beneath the arid and inhospitable surface of Mars lies a hidden treasure of frozen water, enough to create oceans. This discovery raises exciting questions about the planet's past and opens new doors to the future of human exploration.
Significant reserves of water on Mars
ESA's Mars Express probe has revealed the presence of a thick layer of ice beneath the Martian equator. The discovery (I link the ESA statement here), shows us a red planet very different from the one we know, suggesting a past where water was much more abundant.
The data collected indicates that these ice reserves could cover Mars with an ocean "deep" (so to speak) up to 2,7 meters.
The Martian climate puzzle: red planet and former blue planet
This discovery raises questions about the ancient climate of Mars. It is hypothesized that in the past the axis of the red planet has undergone significant variations, altering the distribution of water and ice. During periods of high obliquity, when the poles were tilted more towards the sun than the equator, large amounts of ice formed on the surface, later buried by ash and volcanic dust.
The presence of ice at the equator opens new possibilities for human exploration of Mars. Accessibility to these gigantic water reserves could provide vital resources for future human missions although extraction is not simple, given the depth of the ice.
Anyway, the window is open. These water reserves buried under centuries of dust and ash could tell us unknown stories of the Red Planet, offering us new clues about its mysterious past and guiding us into the future of space exploration.
