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Meeting Mars: Exploration From Mariner to Curiosity

In Meeting Mars: Exploration From Mariner to Curiosity, Professor Brian Cox describes the various spacecraft that have landed on Mars and what we have learned from each. Learn how each Mars exploration project yielded more information about the Red Planet, and what the roving laboratory, Curiosity, helped scientists learn about Mars that other spacecraft had not. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The Planets, a series that explores the dramatic lives of the eight planets in our Solar System.
Video Details
Grades:
6-89-12
Program:
The Planets
Time:
7:47
Subject:
Science
Topic:
Earth and Space Science

Lesson Express

Q: What did each of the Mars missions accomplish? What did the Mars missions teach us about Mars?
A: The Mariner 4 showed craters; the Viking landed on Mars; Spirit and Opportunity found evidence that there had been water flowing on Mars; Curiosity analyzed samples to show that there is organic matter on Mars.

Q: Why is Mars a challenging planet to land on?
A: Its atmosphere is thin, which makes landing spacecraft difficult.

Q: What questions do you think scientists could research in the next Mars mission?
A: Student responses will vary. Some questions could relate to how deep the water was, how long water has been on Mars, and if living organisms ever existed on Mars.

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