How NASA Exploring Mars and the Moon

It is extraordinary how majority of outer space is still unknown, yet we continue to make amazing discoveries within our solar system. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration also known as NASA has accomplished many scientifically advances like landing astronauts on the moon in 1969. At the rate they are at they might even be able to land men on mars.

Ever since 1965 when they received their very first close up picture of Mars, they were able to see how similar the planet is to earth yet so different. One major difference is the biosphere and the ultraviolet radiation scientist still have not been able to see if mars is habitable. “Mars has systems of air, water, ice, and geology that all interact to produce the Martian environment. What we don't know yet is whether Mars ever developed or maintained a biosphere-an environment in which life could thrive” (Wilson, 2015).

During the 1960’s and 70’s NASA has sent nine Apollo missions to the Moon and as of now it is the only place past earth that humans have set foot on. Even though NASA has the ability to send astronauts to the Moon only 12 have been able to set foot on it. Majority of the missions took about 6-12 days to leave Earth land on the Moon and come back to Earth. Although the missions that NASA has done and are planning to do have been a breakthrough there has been criticism on the cost of the trip and the dangers of it. “The average cost to launch a Space Shuttle is about $450 million per mission” (Bray, 2015) which shows how expensive these missions can be, but it also gives us more opportunities to explore what’s beyond earth. With NASA searching for planets like Mars or even the Moon to be habitable they search for necessities like water and as of now the found it in both, but they still do not know if it could be a place where humans could live because of the air.

The discoveries that NASA are willing to look for are phenomenal and at the rate the continuing they might be able to find more habitable planets. With the studies in Mars and the Moon it will path the way for other possibilities to come. Almost 100 years ago humans did not think there was any way for people to land on the moon let alone find a planet that can sustain life.