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<ul><li>The Indian Space Research Organisation’s orbiter around <keyword id="47638" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mars">Mars</keyword> has found that not only is Mars losing its atmosphere faster than Earth, but temperature changes in the upper atmosphere may also be speeding up the process. </li><li>The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) observed a planet-encircling storm around the Red Planet to find that it heavily impacted the atmospheric rate of loss. </li><li>These findings confirm what the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) <keyword id="3302796" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mars-Atmosphere">Mars Atmosphere</keyword> and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission found on the other side of the planet. </li></ul>Mars is losing its atmosphere faster than Earth, and planet-encircling dust storms are speeding up the process, according to the Indian Space Research Organisation (<a href="https://www.isro.gov.in/effects-of-global-dust-storm-mars%E2%80%99-upper-atmosphere-observed-mars-orbiter-mission">ISRO</a>). <div type="image" title="Mars_dust storm_NASA_edited" msid="78824119" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Two 2001 images from the Mars Orbiter Camera on NASA&amp;#39;s Mars Global Surveyor orbiter show a dramatic change in the planet&amp;#39;s appearance when haze raised by dust-storm activity in the south became globally distributed. The images were taken about a month apart.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Its Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) has confirmed what the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) found happening on the other side of the planet — Mars’ upper atmosphere heating up and expanding due to global dust storms. <div type="image" title="ISRO_dust storm_edited" msid="78824032" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;NASA’s MAVEN and ISRO’s MOM observe Mars from two different sides during the planet-encircling dust storm to find an increase in Argon density&amp;lt;br&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> The study published in the <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/2020JE006430">Journal of Geophysical Research</a> outlines how the rate of loss is altered by the change in the Red Planet’s upper atmosphere. Simply put, all terrestrial planets within our solar system are losing their atmosphere to some degree or another. The size of the planet and the temperature of its upper atmosphere determines the rate of loss. <keyword id="6358064" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="isro">ISRO</keyword>’s MOM tracks planet-encircling storm on Mars ISRO pegs Mars’ atmospheric deterioration to be faster than Earth’s because it’s much smaller. However, the planet-encircling dust storms in its upper atmosphere raise the atmospheric temperatures within the Red Planet’s upper atmosphere by several degrees. The impact of this is multifold. MOM started to observe a global dust storm building up within the Martian upper atmosphere during the first week of June 2018. By July, the storm had matured. <div type="image" title="ISRO_MAVEN_around Mars_edited" msid="78824056" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;An artistic impression of the Mars upper atmospheric expansion due to the global dust storm. The black arrows in the image indicate the expansion of the upper atmosphere due to the global dust storm.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Measuring the densities of Mars’ thermosphere, scientists found that Mars' upper atmosphere is warming and expanding. The neutral densities within Mars thermosphere had also increased significantly — something that has also been observed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission. MOM and MAVEN team up on opposite sides of the Red Planet While MOM was observing the Red Planet’s evening side, MAVEN was observing the morning side. And comparing the results of the two shows that the argon densities measured by MOM were consistently larger than those measured by MAVEN. According to ISRO, the difference is mainly due to atmospheric circulation, which causes warming on the evening side and cooling on the morning side. Understanding how Mars is losing its atmosphere and the impact that loss is having on the planet can prove integral in the attempt to have humans on the Red Planet someday. NASA’s Perseverance probe is currently travelling across the solar system with three fabric samples that may be used one day to build the spacesuits that astronauts will wear on Mars. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/trump-calls-india-china-and-russia-filthy-while-justifying-exit-from-paris-agreement/articleshow/78821267.cms">Trump calls India, China and Russia ‘filthy’ while justifying exit from Paris Agreement</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/paytm-uses-jeff-bezos-secret-for-success-building-two-pizza-teams/articleshow/78810520.cms">EXCLUSIVE: Paytm uses Jeff Bezos' secret for success — building 'two pizza' teams</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/tech-mahindra-may-show-signs-of-recovery-in-the-second-quarter-much-depends-on-5g-and-bpo-business-outlook/articleshow/78807765.cms">Tech Mahindra may show signs of recovery in the second quarter — much depends on 5G and BPO business outlook</a>

ISRO finds that Mars is losing its atmosphere faster than Earth, and planet-encircling dust storms are speeding up the process

<ul><li>Mars is humanity’s ‘back up’ plan in case the Earth were ever to become uninhabitable. </li><li>This year, four different missions plan to explore the Red Planet for signs of life and the potential for human colonisation. </li><li>All then plan to launch during the July window when Mars will be at least closest to Earth. </li></ul>Mars is humanity’s back-up plan. If the Earth were ever to become inhabitable, the contingency plan is to colonise <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/mars-orbiter-mission-completes-4-years-in-pictures/articleshow/65972664.cms">our next-door neighbour</a>. But before that’s possible, scientists need more information. The space race is going forward full-throttle with four space missions — by four different countries — scheduled to launch in July this year. All of them with the singular objective to study Mars, and the potential it holds for <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/before-we-put-people-on-mars-we-should-infect-the-planet-with-earthly-microbes-a-group-of-scientists-says/articleshow/71412145.cms">human habitation</a>. Movies like The Martian and Total Recall have already set the stage of what <keyword id="6449862" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="life-on-mars">life on Mars</keyword> could be like. Now, it’s just a matter of figuring out <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/nasa-has-pinpointed-an-area-where-astronauts-could-land-on-mars-ice-is-so-accessible-there-that-they-could-dig-it-up-with-a-shovel-/articleshow/72498351.cms">how we’re going get there</a>. And once we’re there, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/a-140-million-prototype-of-a-mars-colony-is-being-planned-for-a-desert-near-dubai-heres-what-it-looks-like/slidelist/60944056.cms">how we will survive</a>. <div type="image" title="mars" msid="73116753" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Artist&amp;#39;s illustration of what human colonisation of Mars would look like in its early days&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>

 Why July? Mercury may be the <a href="https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/287809-mercury-is-actually-the-closest-planet-to-every-other-planet">closest planet</a> to every other planet in the solar system, but Mars stays closest to Earth for the longest time period. The two planets are closest to each other every 26 months — an event that’s called the Mars Close Approach. From Earth, it’s when Mars appears brightest in the sky. At its closest, Mars is approximately 54.6 million kilometres away. Yet, not all close encounters are equal. In 2003, it was less than 56 million kilometres from Earth — the closest it’s ever been in 60,000 years and won’t be again until the year 2287. The Red Planet’s last close approach was in 2018 when it was 57.6 million kilometres away. This year in July, it will be even further — approximately 62.07 million kilometres away, which is over 161 times the distance between the Earth and the Moon. Nonetheless, astronomers are excited because it’s the closest Mars will be to Earth for another 26 months. Here are the missions that plan to take advantage of Mars Close Approach in July to study the Red Planet:

Space race heads to Mars — Four missions plan to explore Earth's closest neighbour in July this year

Colonising Mars — Four space missions that will explore Earth’s closest neighbour to see if it can one day support human life

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ISRO finds that Mars is losing its atmosphere faster than Earth, and planet-encircling dust storms are speeding up the process

Prabhjote Gill

Space race heads to Mars — Four missions plan to explore Earth's closest neighbour in July this year

Prabhjote Gill

Colonising Mars — Four space missions that will explore Earth’s closest neighbour to see if it can one day support human life

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