Mars is a hostile environment that dictates how equipment and habitats are designed: Mars - NASA Science
Determining if Mars ever supported microbial life.
The heavier the payload (rovers, habitats, or fuel), the more powerful the rocket must be to escape Earth's gravity. Mission to Mars
Earth and Mars align favorably only every 26 months . This alignment, known as "opposition," minimizes the fuel needed for the roughly 300-million-mile trip.
Getting to Mars requires overcoming massive gravitational and orbital hurdles: Mars is a hostile environment that dictates how
Testing technologies for landing large payloads and surviving the harsh environment. 2. Launch Logistics
Studying the history and current state of the Martian atmosphere. known as "opposition
Using current chemical propulsion, the one-way journey typically takes 7 to 9 months . 3. The Martian Environment Challenges