How to spot Mars: See the red planet in the sky the day Nasa's Perseverance rover lands

There are some great opportunities to see the planet travelling across the night skies.

Osnat Katz, PhD Candidate, Space History, UCL • conversation
Feb. 16, 2021 • ~6 min

Perseverance Mars rover: how to prove whether there’s life on the red planet

Methane gas in the atmosphere is a tantalising hint suggesting that life could exists on Mars.

Samantha Rolfe, Lecturer in Astrobiology and Principal Technical Officer at Bayfordbury Observatory, University of Hertfordshire • conversation
Feb. 16, 2021 • ~7 min

Mars InSight: why we'll be listening to the landing of the Perseverance rover

The Perseverance rover's landing could help reveal secrets of Mars' interior.

Benjamin Fernando, PhD student and college lecturer, University of Oxford • conversation
Feb. 15, 2021 • ~6 min

Mars: Perseverance rover set for nail-biting landing – here's the rocket science

Scientists preparing to land the Rosalind Franklin rover in a few years are nervously awaiting the landing of NASA's Perseverance rover.

Andrew Coates, Professor of Physics, Deputy Director (Solar System) at the Mullard Space Science Laboratory, UCL • conversation
Feb. 15, 2021 • ~7 min

Mars missions from China and UAE are set to go into orbit – here's what they could discover

If China succeeds, it will be the first country ever to visit and land on Mars on its first try.

Daniel Brown, Lecturer in Astronomy, Nottingham Trent University • conversation
Feb. 5, 2021 • ~7 min

Bringing Mars rocks back to Earth – Perseverance Rover lands on Feb. 18, a lead scientist explains the tech and goals

NASA's Mars 2020 mission arrives at the red planet on Feb. 18. On the rocket is the Perseverance Rover. The rover's goal is to collect rock and soil samples to be brought back to Earth in the future.

Jim Bell, Professor of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University • conversation
Feb. 4, 2021 • ~8 min

Mars: how scientists prevent Earth's microbes from contaminating other planets

The space laws designed to protect planets and moons from contamination.

Thomas Cheney, Lecturer of Space Governance, The Open University • conversation
Feb. 4, 2021 • ~8 min

How Mars became the prize for the new space race – and why China is hellbent on winning it

India has already managed what China has not.

Steffi Paladini, Reader in Economics & Global Security, Birmingham City University • conversation
Feb. 4, 2021 • ~7 min

SpaceX vs NASA: who will get us to the Moon first? Here's how their latest rockets compare

SpaceX is due to test fly its Starship in the coming days.

Ian Whittaker, Senior Lecturer in Physics, Nottingham Trent University • conversation
Jan. 29, 2021 • ~8 min

Six space missions to look forward to in 2021

India may land on the Moon this coming year, while Nasa will launch its new, powerful rocket farther into space than any other human rated spacecraft.

Gareth Dorrian, Post Doctoral Research Fellow in Space Science, University of Birmingham • conversation
Jan. 1, 2021 • ~7 min

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