NASA's Opportunity Rover Discovers the Most Livable Mud on Mars

Four billion years ago Mars had liquid water capable of sustaining life, according to the latest findings of NASA's Opportunity Mars mission.

NASA's Opportunity Rover has been studying the Mars surface for the past 10 years. And this decade-long mission has led to the discovery of what once upon a time was the most livable mud of Mars.  A team of researchers claims that some of the oldest minerals from Mars analyzed by NASA's Mars Opportunity Rover have uncovered evidence that four billion years ago Mars had fresh liquid water that was capable of supporting life.

This finding was led by Professor Steven Squyres of Cornell University. Dr Paulo de Souza, who is a part of the team, explained that the main aim of the decade- long mission is to examine the Martian surface and hunt for clues that indicate water activity on the Red Planet

The golf cart- sized Opportunity Rover was launched on Jan. 7, 2003 and landed on the Martian surface on Jan. 25, 2004. Three weeks later, its twin, Spirit, was introduced as a part of the mission. But Spirit stopped moving in 2009 and all communications ended in 2010.

"While Mars is too cold now to have the liquid water needed for life, we've had evidence for past water activity on the planet from satellite images of valleys and analysis of rocks by the Rovers," Dr de Souza said.  "But the water that once shaped those landscapes and minerals was as acidic as vinegar..."

According to Dr de Souza this latest finding reveals the initial ancient episodes of water activity in Mars and says, "...  the geochemistry of the 4 billion year old rocks indicates extensive deposits of past water that's among the freshest, most life-sustaining found so far anywhere on Mars."

Opportunity is way past its warranty, it was expected to carry its mission for just a few months but continues to function even at  this advanced stage yielding jaw- dropping results. It was launched to cover just a few hundred meters but has traveled for almost 38 kms. During these 10 years it gathered details on the surface of the Red Planet with the help of chemical sensors, spectral analyzers and rock shapers.

The announcement of these findings coincides with the 10^th anniversary of Opportunity Rover and Spirit landing on Mars. The findings have been documented in the journal Science.