THAT'S LIFE

Scientists using images from an orbiting NASA spacecraft have detected eight sites where huge ice deposits near the Martian surface are exposed on steep slopes, a potential source of water that could help sustain future human outposts. While scientists already knew that about a third of the surface of Mars contains shallow ground ice and that its poles harbour major ice deposits, the research described thick underground ice sheets exposed along slopes up to 100m tall at the planet’s middle latitudes. The researchers used images from NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which has studied the Martian atmosphere and terrain since 2006. The findings showed that ice may be more available than previously known for use as water to support future robotic or human exploration missions, perhaps even the establishment of a permanent Mars base. The water could be used for drinking and potentially conversion into oxygen to breathe.