The next frontier for planetary and human exploration

Abstract

Exploration of the Martian subsurface, to depths from a few metres to many kilometres, offers an unprecedented opportunity to answer one of the biggest questions contemplated by humankind: was or is there life beyond Earth? Simultaneously, Mars subsurface exploration lays the foundation for self-sufficient human settlements beyond our own planet and provides an emerging potential for synergistic collaborations with the rising commercial space sector and traditional mining companies. Our understanding of the Martian subsurface and the technologies for exploring it — with a dual focus on the search for signs of extinct and extant life, and resource characterization and acquisition — have matured enough for serious consideration as part of future robotic missions to Mars.