NASA's MRO helps find 3 potential human landing sites on Mars
Scientists have pinpointed three new spots on Mars—AP-1, AP-8, and AP-9—that could be perfect for future human landings.
These locations in the Amazonis Planitia region are flat and sit right above shallow water ice, making them safe to land on and super useful for explorers.
How the team identified the sites
The team used NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter to find areas where ice is less than a meter below the surface.
The landscape shows features like polygon cracks and brain coral terrain—signs that there's plenty of accessible ice nearby.
Why these sites are important
Having water ice close to the surface is a game-changer: it means astronauts could have what they need for drinking, growing food, and even making fuel.
As Erica Luzzi of the University of Mississippi put it, "If we're going to send humans to Mars, you need H2O—and not just for drinking."