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2) Mars: Like Earth, Mars is one of four
rocky planets in our solar system. It has familiar features such as
clouds, weather systems, volcanoes, canyons, and polar ice caps.
And yet, Mars is a mysterious planet of extremes when compared
to Earth. Every mission we send to Mars reveals surprises,
challenging prior scientific theories about the Martian
environment, its climatic and geologic history, and its potential
for past, present, or even future life if humans travel there one
day. 2001 Mars Odyssey will help remove two unknowns: what
kinds of rock, soil, and icy materials lie on the surface and how
hostile the radiation environment may be at Mars and in space
on the way to the planet. |
