Soar Above Mars: Explore the Stunning Martian Landscape with ESA’s Mars Express!

For over twenty years, the Mars Express orbiter has been a key player in exploring the Red Planet. As the only operational mission from the European Space Agency (ESA), it has given us the clearest images and maps of Mars’ atmosphere and surface chemistry. One standout achievement is its close look at Phobos, Mars’ largest moon. The orbiter has also traced ancient waterways on Mars, revealing that liquid water once flowed across its surface.

A recent film from ESA takes us on a virtual journey over Xanthe Terra, a highland area near Mars’ equator. The film uses a mosaic created from photos taken by the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on Mars Express. These images, combined with topographical data, give us a stunning 3D perspective of the Martian landscape. The film highlights Shalbatan Vallis, a 1,300 km-long channel that shows how water may have once rushed from Mars’ Southern Highlands to a vast ocean in the Northern Lowlands.

Dr. Ewen Whitaker, a planetary scientist, notes that features like Shalbatan Vallis and its counterparts across regions such as Lunae Planum hint at a watery past. Over the decades, missions dating back to the Pioneer probes and Viking landers have provided evidence that these channels were crucial in shaping Mars’ history. Many of these channels connect to Valles Marineris, the largest canyon in our Solar System, which is also thought to have once held water.

The video concludes with a breathtaking view of the Da Vinci crater, measuring 100 km wide. This crater holds a smaller crater and debris from a recent impact, indicating Mars’ dynamic geological history.

Watching the full video offers a fascinating glimpse into Mars’ rich landscape. You can find the footage here.

For more insights into Mars exploration, you can check out additional resources from ESA.

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