Was Mars Once Like Earth?

Synopsis

NASA's MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution) mission aims to gather critical data about the Martian atmosphere, focusing on whether Mars was once a water-rich planet like Earth. While the Mars Rover Curiosity examines the planet's surface, MAVEN analyzes atomic and molecular processes in the upper atmosphere. Launched in 2013, this mission seeks to provide insights into Mars' climatic history, potentially revealing a time when the planet supported conditions similar to those found on Earth, including forests and abundant water.