Mars

NASA has launched its next Mars rover, known as Curiosity

The rover formerly known as the Mars Science Laboratory should tackle some of the biggest questions about Mars—assuming it can survive an elaborate touchdown

Phobos-Grunt appears to be stuck in Earth orbit. In two weeks, if its thrusters aren't restarted, the spacecraft will be lost completely

Lift-off from Kazakhstan's Baikonur Cosmodrome is set for 3:16 P.M. EST. The main goal is to grab some dirt from Phobos' surface and return the samples to Earth in 2014

The Russian sample-return spacecraft will carry a zoo of microbes to Phobos and back to test whether life can survive the interplanetary journey

Cast your vote for the best Mars movie

Researchers will use the data collected throughout the Mars500 mission to better understand the physical and psychological challenges that astronauts will face on long-duration missions

Mars has plenty of minerals that suggest a watery past, but that does not mean that the Red Planet once looked like Earth

The first man-made object to land on Mars arrived 40 years ago this month, and NASA's Curiosity rover should soon depart for the Red Planet. Here is a look at where humankind's many Mars landers have touched down, and where the planet betrays a history of all-important liquid water. Find out more in Exploring the Red Planet

Two Mars missions are scheduled to launch this month. How have their predecessors fared? Find out more in Exploring the Red Planet

The Mars Phoenix mission revived hopes that the Red Planet may be habitable, preparing the way for a new rover to be launched this month

New science reveals why cities become more productive and efficient as they grow