To Mars and back – student talk

On Tuesday 21 November we had the privilege of hosting Dr. Orson Sutherland, Mars Program Manager at the European Space Agency (ESA).

Dr. Sutherland took us on a captivating journey through Europe’s two-decade exploration of Mars, delving into the mysteries of the Red Planet, and the answers it may give to fundamental questions about the Solar System’s evolution, Earth’s history, and the potential for Martian life. The challenges of reaching Mars were highlighted, drawing on ESA’s 20-year history of successes and setbacks. With a focus on upcoming missions like the Rosalind Franklin ExoMars rover and the Mars Sample Return program, the talk shed light on Europe’s commitment to unraveling Mars’ secrets.

This talk only touched the tip of the ice-berg of Mars exploration, which is why Dr. Sutherland has encouraged us all to visit: https://blogs.esa.int/to-mars-and-back. This is a blog site where ESA scientists themselves will be posting information about the progress they are making, and will also answer any comments that are posted. Go check it out!