[X] My Assistant

[Doug M.]

Inspired by the recent story about ExoMars site selection. So they want to land someplace that has evidence of water, someplace with sedimentary rocks, someplace ancient... and someplace safe. Oh, and also low latitudes. That's not explicitly stated, but ExoMars is using solar panels, so they're not likely to pick a spot at 50 degrees north.

Here's a thing: if you're just casually looking at a map of Mars, what jumps out at you as interesting-looking places to poke around? I'd say three: the big volcanoes, the Valles Marineris, and the Hellas Basin. But Hellas seems to be a perpetual also-ran, and the volcanoes and the VM don't even get a mention.

Is there any prospect of a mission to any of these regions? Is the main constraint that it's too dangerous, too rugged, or that those areas are less scientifically interesting?


Doug M.

[machi]

Unfortunately ExoMars is pretty limited in terms of safe landing. He can land only between -5 to 25° latitude and surface must be at least 2 kilometers under zero altitude.
My favorite place from candidates under consideration is southern Isidis (image below with approx. landing ellipse size). Hydraotes Chaos is not between candidates but it definitely looks interesting and it's place with detected hydrated minerals.
My other (realistic?) suggestions for some future missions are southern Argyre near Charitum Montes, vicinity of Anseris Mons and I agree with Phil that Apollinaris Mons is very good candidate from bigger volcanoes.

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[jamescanvin]

Unfortunately ExoMars is pretty limited in terms of safe landing. He can land only between -5 to 25° latitude and surface must be at least 2 kilometers under zero altitude.

Peter Grindrod has a great GIF on his blog showing this.