Red Planet Day, celebrated on November 28 annually, marks a significant event in the history of space exploration. It was on this day in 1964 that NASA’s Mariner 4 spacecraft made the first successful flyby of Mars, sending back the first close-up images of the planet’s surface! This milestone was a game-changer, providing evidence that Mars might not be the lifeless desert world many had once thought. The images showed craters and an eerie, barren landscape, setting the stage for decades of further exploration.
But the fascination with Mars goes far beyond the Mariner 4 mission. Mars is often seen as the most Earth-like planet in our solar system, sparking imaginations about the possibility of life and even future human colonisation. It has long been a subject of science fiction, but today, it’s at the forefront of scientific research.
Mars is often called the Red Planet, because of its iron oxide-rich soil, which gives it a reddish hue when viewed from space. Hence, the Romans named the planet after their God of War because the red colour reminded them of blood.
But did you know that Mars is half the size of Earth and home to the tallest volcano in the solar system? Olympus Mons towers over the Martian landscape at nearly 13.6 miles (22 km) high — about three times the height of Mount Everest.
And then there’s Valles Marineris, a canyon system that stretches over 2,500 miles, which is more than 10 times the size of the Grand Canyon.
As we continue to send rovers and orbiters to Mars, the mysteries of this distant planet unfold a little more each year. Red Planet Day isn’t just about looking back at our achievements; it’s about looking forward to the incredible possibilities that still lie ahead. Who knows? Maybe one day, humans will set foot on Mars to make history once again!