// planetary data // sol system // 4th orbit
MARS
The Red Planet. Fourth from the Sun, second smallest in the Solar System.
Home to Olympus Mons — the tallest volcano in the Solar System —
and Valles Marineris, a canyon stretching 4,000 km.
// core parameters
Distance from Sun
0M km
Semi-major axis · 1.524 AU
Orbital Period
0Earth days
1.88 Earth years per Martian year
Martian Sol
0hours
1 sol = 24 h 37 m · closest to Earth day
Equatorial Diameter
0km
53% of Earth's diameter
Surface Gravity
0m/s²
38% of Earth gravity
Surface Temperature
−80to +20 °C
Avg −60 °C · extreme swings
Mass
0× 10²³ kg
10.7% of Earth's mass
Escape Velocity
0km/s
vs Earth 11.2 km/s
Axial Tilt
0degrees
Similar to Earth's 23.44° → seasons
Surface Area
0M km²
≈ total land area of Earth
Known Craters
0+
Mapped craters >1 km diameter
// earth–mars distances
// atmospheric composition
// raw data
{
"planet": "Mars",
"designation": "Sol IV", // fourth from the Sun
"type": "Terrestrial",
"discovered": "Ancient (~3000 BCE, Babylonian)",
"orbital": {
"semi_major_axis_au": 1.524,
"eccentricity": 0.0934, // more elliptical than Earth (0.017)
"inclination_deg": 1.85,
"orbital_speed_km_s": 24.077
},
"physical": {
"radius_km": 3389.5,
"density_g_cm3": 3.93, // vs Earth 5.51
"magnetic_field": "none (crustal remnants only)",
"olympus_mons_height_km": 21.9, // tallest volcano in solar system
"valles_marineris_length_km": 4000
},
"active_missions": ["Perseverance", "Ingenuity", "Curiosity", "MAVEN", "MRO"]
}
// mission log
1965
Mariner 4 ended
First successful Mars flyby. Returned 21 photographs revealing a barren, cratered surface.
1976
Viking 1 & 2 ended
First successful Mars landers. Conducted biology experiments searching for life signs.
2004
Spirit & Opportunity ended
Twin rovers. Opportunity travelled 45.16 km — a planetary rover record — before contact lost in 2019.
2012
Curiosity active
Nuclear-powered rover. Confirmed ancient lake beds in Gale Crater, still operating in Gale Crater.
2021
Perseverance + Ingenuity active
Caching samples for future return. Ingenuity achieved first powered flight on another planet (Apr 19 2021).
2031
Mars Sample Return planned
Joint NASA/ESA mission to retrieve Perseverance's cached samples — first Martian material on Earth.