Mars Introduction : the first steps

The initial activity in any mission, manned or unmanned, is the setting of goals. These goals help better define the mission in terms of objectives that have to be accomplished and can be referenced whenever any decisions have to be made. Once the mission has been carried out, a comparison between the actual achievements of the mission with the mission goals is the primary tools that helps to evaluate the success of the mission as a whole.

 Mission goals

After defining the goals of the mission and taking them into account, the first step in the design of this manned mission to Mars would be to choose a landing site that will enable the mission to fullfill its objetives.

The following is a list of documents from the Mars Academy with information and links that can help us better select a suitable landing site :

  Introduction to Mars :
     Martian Geology - Craters - Plains - Volcanoes
     Deformations - Canals and Channels
     The Martian Atmosphere

  Life on Mars?
      Could life exist on Mars? - The Martian meteorite

  Past, present and future missions.
      The Exploration of Mars
      Past missions - Mariner 3, 4, 6
      The Viking Missions
      Mars Pathfinder
      Landing sites of past missions.

  Choosing the Landing Site:
     Landing Site Choice Page