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Researchers exposed the methane-producing microbe to perchlorates, toxic salts known to exist on Mars, along with oxygen-free, carbon-rich, low-pressure and highly saline conditions meant to mimic the Martian environment. Despite these harsh stressors, the organism continued to grow and reproduce in laboratory tests.
Analysis of data from a Mars orbiter has revealed geological features consistent with recent volcanic activity on the planet's surface, according to researchers studying the imagery. The findings point to a specific region where deposits and surface patterns resemble those left by volcanic eruptions on Earth.
Four engineers exited a 158-square-metre 3D-printed habitat at NASA's Johnson Space Center on 31 October after more than a year inside, completing the second in a series of simulated Mars missions. During the mission, the crew grew their own food, ran science experiments, conducted simulated 'Marswalks' and endured communication delays of 13-22 minutes as well as a planned two-week blackout mimicking real Mars-Earth conditions.
Scientists analyzing a nearly two-pound meteorite discovered in Mali in 2022, now largely housed at a Maine museum, have determined it originated from Mars and contains zircon crystals dating back 4.1 billion years. A paper published in Science, led by NASA JPL's Yang Liu, describes the rock as showing evidence of magma cooling followed by alteration from subsurface water, making it one of only three known Mars meteorites this old.
New analysis examines how long an inactive organism can remain viable before reviving when conditions improve, focusing on survival in space environments. The work highlights that ultraviolet light, not cold or vacuum, is the primary killer of microorganisms in orbit, while thin shielding such as dust or spacecraft crevices can protect them.
A study in Science Advances reports that the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter detected unexpected spikes of hydrogen chloride gas around the flanks of Alba Mons, Mars's largest volcano by surface area. Researchers also identified newly discovered fissures thousands of feet long with mineral discoloration resembling volcanic gas vents on Earth, pointing to gas seeping from underground.
The Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission, led by Japan's space agency JAXA, launched successfully on 20 October to study Phobos, one of Mars' two small moons. The mission aims to orbit the low-gravity moon, land on its loosely packed surface, and collect samples to return to Earth, addressing long-standing questions about the moon's origins.
A two-pound rock discovered in the Sahara Desert in 2022 has been identified as one of the oldest known Martian meteorites, estimated at over 4.1 billion years old. Studies published in Science and Science Advances found that the sample, named Teghaza 001, preserves chemical evidence of interactions between Mars' crust and its ancient hydrosphere.
NASA has completed a 378-day ground-based simulation designed to mimic conditions of a Mars mission, testing how a four-person volunteer crew coped with isolation, limited resources, and delayed communication. The experiment, which took place without leaving Earth, aimed to study the psychological and logistical challenges future astronauts could face on a real mission to Mars.
NASA livestreamed the exit of its second CHAPEA crew—Ross Elder, Matthew Montgomery, Ellen Ellis and James Spicer—from its 3D-printed Mars habitat in Houston after 378 days of simulated Mars operations. During their stay, the crew performed mock spacewalks, maintained the habitat, grew plants and endured simulated communication delays and resource constraints. NASA is now accepting applications for a follow-up year-long experiment, the Moon and Mars Exploration Analog, set to begin no earlier than August 2027.
Skywatchers can spot all planets in the solar system during November, with Daylight Saving Time ending Nov. 1 giving earlier sunsets and more viewing time before bedtime. Mercury becomes easier to see after reaching western elongation on Nov. 20, while Venus grows more visible as it moves farther from the sun throughout the month. Mars, Jupiter and Saturn remain visible nightly, with Jupiter, Mars and the star Regulus forming a notable trio in the eastern sky.
NASA's Perseverance rover reached 45.22 kilometers (28.10 miles) of total driving distance on Mars on Oct. 11, 2026 (Sol 2006), surpassing the previous record for farthest distance driven on another celestial body. The rover's engineering twin on Earth received a plaque from Guinness World Records marking the achievement, according to JPL Chief Engineer Vandi Verma.