Ice deposit in Korolev crater

Water ice deposit in Korolev crater at the northern polar plain on Mars. This recent image is taken by the European Space Agency's (ESA) Mars Express orbiter. Korolev crater is 81 kilometers (51 miles) in diameter and naturally traps the cold air in it continuously replenishing the ice deposit with fresh layers of ice. The ice sheet is up to 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) thick and it is estimated the crater holds about 2200 cubic kilometers (530 cubic miles) of water ice.

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Images from NatGeo's MARS episode 6 of season 2

Sixth episode "The Shake Up" ( s02e06 ) of National Geographic's MARS TV series season 2 has been aired. Here are some images from the episode.

Storyline in short: Using explosives, miners from Lukrum colony finally get to an underground water aquifer. But water is under pressure and causes a severe earthquake, damaging Olympus Town but completely destroying Lukrum colony, leaving a dozen miners dead. While inspecting his ruined base the commander of Lukrum colony is killed in an accident. The season ends on a positive note - Earth is introduced with the first child born on Mars and Olympus Town is repaired and is open for future expansion.

Images from other episodes of season 2: ► Episode 1  ► Episode 2  ► Episode 3  ► Episode 4  ► Episode 5

Mars colony by Bill Wright

Picture of the Day 16/12/2018 - Mars colony by American space artist Bill Wright. More of his art here.

Mars base by Richard Wright

Picture of the Day 14/12/2018 - Street fight in Mars base by British concept artist Richard Wright - concept art for the Call of Duty game Infinite Warfare (2016) - a first-person shooter (FPS) set in an undefined future where Earth nations are competing for power in the Solar system with ruthless and technologically more advanced but outnumbered space settlers.

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Images from NatGeo's MARS episode 5 of season 2

Fifth episode "Power Play" ( s02e05 ) of National Geographic's MARS TV series season 2 has been aired. Here are some images from the episode.

► Watch full episode 5 of season 2 here

Storyline in short: Miners from Lukrum colony are prospecting for resources and require additional power from Olympus Town. Meanwhile on Earth Lukrum Industries struck deal with Russia to get exclusive mining rights on Mars. While Olympus Town's commander is inspecting potential water site her deputy cuts power to Lukrum colony causing power outage there and nearly killing some of the miners.

Images from other episodes of season 2: ► Episode 1  ► Episode 2  ► Episode 3  ► Episode 4  ► Episode 6

Images from NatGeo's MARS episode 4 of season 2

Fourth episode "Contagion" ( s02e04 ) of National Geographic's MARS TV series season 2 has been aired. Here are some images from the episode.

Storyline in short: Deadly Martian pathogen strikes both Lukrum colony and Olympus Town. It's discovered only a Penicillin can fight it and it's available only on Chinese orbital station which drops it to the ground.

Images from other episodes of season 2: ► Episode 1  ► Episode 2  ► Episode 3  ► Episode 5  ► Episode 6

NASA's InSight lander on Mars by Charlie Burgess

Yesterday NASA's InSight lander successfully landed on Mars at Elysium Planitia; to celebrate the landing British digital artist Charlie Burgess has created this picture of the probe. More of his art here.

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Images from NatGeo's MARS episode 3 of season 2

Third episode "Darkness falls" ( s02e03 ) of National Geographic's MARS TV series season 2 has been aired today. Here are some images from the episode.

► Watch full episode 3 of season 2 here

Storyline in short: Massive solar flare knocks out electrical grid and communications on Mars in time when one of the scientists is taking samples from Lukrum's water drilling site on her own, without informing anyone. Miners from Lukrum colony rescue her life, thus restoring relations between the two settlements.

Images from other episodes of season 2: ► Episode 1  ► Episode 2  ► Episode 4  ► Episode 5  ► Episode 6

Racing on Mars in Star Citizen MMO game

Picture of the Day 25/11/2018 - racing on Mars; an image from upcoming massively multiplayer online (MMO) game Star Citizen which will consist of several components - space combat simulator, first-person shooter and economy&trading simulator - and is mostly funded by an unprecedented crowdfunding campaign of over $200 million on Kickstarter. The game is released by modules and is playable for several years now in alpha stage; there is a good outside video review what is the current status of the game by the end of 2018.

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Mars transport by Pablo Palomeque

Picture of the Day 23/11/2018 - Mars transport vehicle by Argentinian concept artist Pablo Palomeque. More of his art here.

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