Humans have dumped 7,000kg of junk on Mars to date
Humans have been leaving their mark on Mars for years now. A recent map shows over 7,000kg of human-made debris, including discarded parachutes and tire fragments, have accumulated on Mars since the first Soviet expeditions in 1971. Dr. James Blake from the University of Warwick's physics department noted, "It's common for space missions to discard debris and rovers/helicopters sometimes come across debris fields while exploring." The Mars helicopter Ingenuity recently added 1.8kg to the pile after becoming unable to fly.
Failed missions led to accumulation of space debris
The debris on Mars is a result of numerous failed or malfunctioning missions. Notable among these are the Mars 6 lander and UK's Beagle 2, which astonishingly reappeared on Mars in 2015 following years of being lost. Conversely, ventures like NASA's ambitious Polar Lander met with failure in 1999. Besides challenges, the Mars exploration saga has also seen triumphs. The Spirit and Opportunity rovers have yielded pioneering revelations about Mars' history of water and its capacity to support microbial organisms.
Crucial to minimize footprint on distant planets like Mars
Despite the growing amount of debris, NASA's Curiosity and Perseverance rovers, and China's Zhurong rover, continue their search for signs of past or present life on Mars. However, it's worth mentioning that operational rovers aren't considered space junk. Dr. Blake explains, "With current technology, there's still an unfortunate balance that needs to be struck between scientific discovery and impact of missions on natural environment of these remote worlds." He stresses the importance of designing future missions with sustainability in mind.
