One of the most sought after substances in the Universe is water – especially in its liquid form – as its presence on a planet makes the presence of life (as we know it) significantly more likely. While there are potentially oceans worth of liquid water on e.g. Jupiter’s moon Europa, for now Mars is significantly easier to explore as evidenced by the many probes which we got onto its surface so far. One of these was the InSight probe, which was capable of a unique feat: looking inside the planet’s crust with its seismometer to perform geophysical measurements. These measurements have now led to the fascinating prospect that liquid water may in fact exist on Mars right now, according to a paper published by [Vashan Wright] and colleagues in PNAS (with easy-read BBC coverage).
InSight’s mission lasted from November 2018 to December 2022 by which time too much dust had collected on its solar panels and communication was lost. During those active years it had used its seismometer (SEIS) to use the vibrations from natural marsquakes and similar to map the internals of the planet. Based on rock physics models and the data gathered by InSight, there is a distinct possibility that significant liquid water may exist in Mars’ mid-crust, meaning at a depth of about 11.5 to 20 km. Most tantalizing here is perhaps that at these depths, more liquid water may exist today than may have filled Mars’ past oceans.
Since we’re talking about just a single lander with a single instrument in a single location, it would be highly presumptuous to draw strong conclusions, and at these depths we would have no means to access it. Even so, it would offer interesting ideas for future Mars missions, not to mention underground Mars bases.
” One of the most sought after substances in the Universe is water ” And we have magnitudes of it right here on earth. No need to look elsewhere.
Oh hush
When you go on trips it’s good to know where to shop.
There’s been a running joke that Nestle has been to Mars and the water we just found are what’s left that Nestle couldn’t suck up
Ok, but is this how we get funding for Mars research in this near-to-post-capitalism hellscape? I mean, we COULD convince them to fund it, and then hoodwink them with an invalid contract the fact that there are space neutrality treaties… Nah, wouldn’t work… Nestle always finds a way…
Weyland-Nestlé-Yutani will always find a way to satisfy the customers need.
They better contact Bruce Willis, he had a team of oil drillers with extraterrestrial experience!
Be sure to have space marine with him and drop randomly some guns ammo and med packs all over the place. Just in case.
I thought Bruce retired from anything permanently due to health issues? Last I heard, he’s having trouble communicating and other basic stuff.
This is a nice hack
So the deepest spot drilled on earth was less than 8 miles…..which would be right at the very edge of the supposed water on Mars. But I’m sure Mars rock will be easier to get through. 🙄
Well, we struggle to drill deeper here because the rock gets all hot and plasticky. So yes, Mars rock will be easier to drill through because it remains solid to a much greater depth.
I’m sure someone will think up a way to get it closer to the surface with some nukes.
Why does the solar panels always get dusty? It must be complicated to clean the panels, I guess brushes are not usable. Maybe tilting the panels?
I suggested brushes in another Hackaday article inre another Martian lander. The counter arguments (IIRC) were the weight of such a mechanism at launch and landing.