NASA Maven Orbiter

How did a planet once possibly habitable to microbial life turn into a cold and barren desert world? What role did the solar wind have in stripping away the atmosphere? The mission will study the upper atmosphere and ionosphere of Mars, characterizing their current states and determining the rates of loss of gas to space today. These measurements will allow researchers to extrapolate backward in time to determine the total loss throughout the planet’s history. This will answer important questions about the evolution of Martian climate and the history of the planet’s ability to support life.