Scientists know that having available water is absolutely necessary when planning for space exploration. Any thoughts about finding some type of life in space, at least life as earthbound scientists define life, require water.

Mars seems to be the only other planet within our solar system that we can most easily explore and on which we can possibly live. NASA and the Russian Space Agency have sent more space probes to Mars than to any other planet. We study Mars with telescopes that show it really is the Red Planet! However, the entire planet is not red. There are areas of white at both poles. Hmmmm - are they ice caps? ... made of frozen water? ... or something else?

In April 2001, NASA launched a special spacecraft to Mars. This craft was the 2001 Mars Odyssey and the trip took 6.5 months.

Mars Odyssey's main job was to take measurements that could help scientists know what kinds of elements and minerals make up the surface of Mars. Odyssey looked for hydrogen, one of the two elements found in water.

The 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft found water on Mars! As expected, the low temperatures there have turned the water into ice, but we can be excited to know that water was truly discovered on Mars! The white at the poles turns out to be water ice. Actually, this ice is mixed with the soil on Mars just below the surface. Scientists estimate there may even be enough water ice mixed in the soil to fill up two water bodies the size of Lake Michigan.

But we want to know more. Another special spacecraft, the Phoenix Lander, will travel to Mars in 2007 to sift through Martian arctic soil. If all goes as planned, by June 2008, the Phoenix will land on a section of Mars believed to hold nearly 80% water-ice by volume in the top 50 cm of the surface. Gathering and testing Martian soils, it will hunt for clues to the origin of the ice. Digging with a robotic arm, it will carve out and analyze a trench in some places as deep as one meter.

Why should we worry about whether there is water or even water ice on Mars? If we ever expect to successfully land people on the Martian surface - and even live on it - we will need either to make or find materials there to help us survive and return to Earth. We can never take enough water to last for the return trip. Why not use the water we now know is on Mars?

Just imagine - you could be the first person to step on Mars - live on Mars - and yes, even the first person to drink water formed on another planet.

Barkley was correct! It is really “cool” to know that water has been found on Mars!