This image shows a subsurface explorer on the surface of Mars (this is an artist's rendition). Such subsurface explorers would help us look for water and organic material below the surface of Mars. A "robotic mole" like this one would also test to see what minerals make up the Martian interior. One of the proposals does involve a subsurface explorer that would dive through the Martian polar ice caps.
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Courtesy of NASA/JPL
Scouting Mars
News story originally written on June 18, 2001
NASA is looking for new Scout missions to send to
Mars. These Scout missions will be smaller missions that will be sent to Mars starting in 2007.
The Scout missions that NASA is trying to choose from are very cool! One mission would have three gliders that would zoom past the walls of Valles Marineris. This would be like flying through the Grand Canyon -- except on Mars! Another mission is a probe that could drill or melt its way through the Martian polar ice caps!
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