To celebrate the 20th anniversary of ESA’s Mars Express mission, the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) team has unveiled a stunning global color mosaic of Mars. This mosaic offers an unprecedented view of the planet’s surface, revealing its diverse composition with remarkable color variations. Dark grey-toned areas indicate basaltic sands of volcanic origin, while lighter patches denote clay and sulfate minerals, suggesting the past presence of liquid water. This milestone was achieved by capturing high-altitude images from 4,000 to 10,000 km away, allowing for a wider perspective than standard observations.
The mosaic showcases the famed Valles Marineris canyon system and emphasizes different materials across Mars’s surface. The reddish color of Mars is attributed to oxidized iron, but darker and bluish regions indicate volcanic basaltic sands, while lighter areas highlight water-weathered minerals. Over its two-decade journey, Mars Express has provided invaluable insights into the Martian landscape, with the HRSC revealing features like volcanoes, valleys, and craters. Originally intended to last one Martian year, the mission continues to provide vital data and is set to continue at least until 2026.
