Why the quest for life on Mars continues despite 35 failed missions since 1960s
Despite many failures, missions to Mars continue because there is immense knowledge to be gleaned from the planet about our own existence and evolution.
Sandhya Ramesh 3 March, 2021 12:07 pm IST
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Bengaluru: In the past month alone, three missions from Earth reached planet Mars to look for signs of past life — the UAE’s first interplanetary mission, the Hope orbiter, China’s first Mars mission, the Tianwen-1 orbiter and the US’ complex Perseverance rover.
These missions, as is the case with all missions to Mars, are primarily astrobiological in nature and aimed towards hunting for signs of past life, habitability and evolution of the planet from Earth-like conditions to the cold desert it is at present.