Possible Landing Sites for Manned Missions to Mars

In our goal of determining an appropriate landing site for our mission, we are basing ourselves on NASA Reference Publication 1238, the Landing Site Catalog. This publication is available on the Web, thanks to the Center for Mars Exploration at NASA Ames in Mountain View, California.

The following is an analysis of feasible landing sites for future exploration missions to the red planet. The information about these sites is provided by the orbiter images of the Viking missions. All substances mentioned in this analysis are the assumed substances which should be present in the soil of each of these sites.

These sites were selected for their geological diversity and for their possible exobiological diversity. In all cases the mission design for each of these sites will be based on the possibility of using humans to explore the site. Until now, landing sites for manned missions have not yet been selected, because of the present lack of technology and information to take a man to Mars and bring him back safely. But that is our job!

In deciding upon the landing site, direct reference must be made to the mission goals so as to select a place that will help us complete all the objectives.

The following is a list of possible landing sites :

• Dao Vallis
• Hebes Chasma
• Mare Tyrrenum
• Eridania Northwest
• North Pole
• Parana Valles
• Gusev Crater

Our landing site has been chosen already! The following web chats were held and then members voted to select the landing site.

And the landing site is .....