In a new discovery, scientists have reported the presence of a significant reservoir of liquid water deep within Mars‘ crust, marking the first time this vital resource.
Why it matters: The dream of colonizing Mars has captivated everyone from billionaires and planetary scientists to Star Trek fans. However, a significant practical challenge to this vision has been the Red Planet’s scarcity of accessible water resources. Recently, the discovery of water reserves on Mars has both excited and frustrated enthusiasts, as these reserves are located deep within the planet’s crust. Establishing Martian colonies will have to wait until scientists develop a method to access this crucial resource.
In a new discovery, scientists have reported the presence of a significant reservoir of liquid water deep within Mars‘ crust, marking the first time this vital resource has been detected on the Red Planet. While frozen water at the poles and atmospheric vapor were previously known, this finding opens new doors in our understanding of Mars‘ hydrological history and potential for harboring life.
This conclusion is based on a new examination of data collected by NASA’s Mars InSight Lander, which touched down on the Martian surface in 2018.
The reservoir is located in tiny cracks and pores in the rock, between 7 to 13 miles below the surface. This depth makes it challenging to access, even with advanced drilling technology. „Drilling a hole 10km deep on Mars – even for [Elon] Musk – would be difficult“, Prof Michael Manga from the University of California, Berkeley told BBC News.
