The European Space Agency's Efforts Continue To Refine Our Understanding Of Where Ice Deposits Might Lie, On Mars...

The water ice is under many hundreds of feet of blown dust -- frigid dunes, near the equator. . . so using it for any crewed exploration presents a daunting recovery and conversion challenge -- from a chemistry / engineering perspective. . . but the water is. . . there, in abundance, still.

ExoMars has refined the measurements of it, and in spots the ice is kilometers thick. . . plenty to sustain humans, if we can extract it, in situ. Here's that story -- and a bit, from our partners in Paris:

“. . .This latest analysis challenges our understanding of the Medusae Fossae Formation, and raises as many questions as answers,” says Colin Wilson, ESA project scientist for Mars Express and the ESA ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO). “How long ago did these ice deposits form, and what was Mars like at that time? If confirmed to be water ice, these massive deposits would change our understanding of Mars climate history. Any reservoir of ancient water would be a fascinating target for human or robotic exploration.”

The extent and location of these icy MFF deposits would also make them potentially very valuable for our future exploration of Mars. Missions to Mars will need to land near the planet’s equator, far from the ice-rich polar caps or high-latitude glaciers. And they’ll need water as a resource – so finding ice in this region is almost a necessity for human missions to the planet. . . .

Now you know. Another round of snow and sharply colder sub-zero weather ahead tonight, but then warming into a tropics like 40 degrees, by Monday afternoon. Woot -- almost like being on. . . Barsoom (well, not really). Heh.

नमस्ते