For astronaut safety and to bolster success of the human exploration to come later, NASA needs an end-to-end demonstration of traveling to Mars, doing something scientifically useful, and returning safely. No one has ever launched to Mars orbit from the surface and MSR doing so would be a huge risk reduction.

The 16-time Grammy winner is set to further cement his status as one of the all-time great pop stars with his long-awaited LP.

Perseverance rover found a rock on Mars named Phippsaksla with so much iron and nickel that it could be a meteorite.

Another view from Perseverance shows how windswept Mars' landscape truly is.

Data from the Mars Express High Resolution Stereo Camera Mars Chart (HMC30) was used to creat an animated flyover of the Xanthe Terra highland region on the Red Planet. Credits: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin & NA

Martian winds can have quite an impact. ESA's Mars Express has spotted them whipping up sand grains and acting as a cosmic sandblaster, carving out intriguing grooves near Mars's equator.

In September 2024, Musk discussed SpaceX’s plans to send an uncrewed Starship rocket to Mars this coming year. At the time, Musk said the mission would test how reliably SpaceX could land its vehicles on the planet’s surface. If things went well, he estimated SpaceX could send crewed missions as soon as 2028.

NASA's Curiosity rover has sent back a striking new "postcard" from high on the slopes of the Red Planet's Mount Sharp, offering a dramatic look at the rugged Martian landscape the robot has been exploring for more than a decade.