NASA Plane Finds Oxygen On Mars’ Upper Atmosphere

Researchers from NASA have detected atomic oxygen on planet Mars since the 1970s. The new discovery could raise the possibility of inhabiting the planet in the future.

Researchers from NASA found oxygen atoms in Mars' upper atmosphere. The team was able to get an accurate reading due to the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), which is a Boeing 747SP jetliner with a 100-inch diameter telescope.

Unfortunately, the U.S. government agency detected only half of atomic oxygen it initially expected. No exact figures were released as to the quantity of atomic oxygen that was found.

However, atomic oxygen is not similar to the oxygen humans breathe on earth, according to The Christian Science Monitor. Earth's oxygen is made up of two oxygen atoms while atomic oxygen is made up of one oxygen atom. Despite the difference, the existence of atomic oxygen on Mars can help humans understand other puzzling questions about the red planet.

Detecting and measuring oxygen on Mars is a difficult task due to the planet's constantly changing atmosphere. NASA has also been struggling with Earth's own atmosphere making it difficult for probes to send back an accurate detection, according to a press release.

Researchers must be above most of the Earth's atmosphere and make use of highly sensitive instrument to measure oxygen, according to Pamela Marcum, SOFIA project scientist. SOFIA was able to deliver on such requirements since it flies between 11,277 and 13,716 meters in the air, which is above most of the moisture that blocks infrared in the Earth's atmosphere. A detector on board the jetliner was also able to distinguish oxygen on Earth and oxygen on Mars.

The press release also mentioned that NASA would continue to use SOFIA to gather more information on the changing atmosphere on Mars. The latest mission is a joint project of the U.S. government agency and the German Aerospace Center. The SOFIA program is managed by NASA's Ames Research Center located in Mountain View, California.

It has been more than four decades since oxygen was last detected on Mars. During the Viking and Mariner missions in the 1970s, oxygen had also been detected on the red planet as well, according to National Post.

NASA continues to make preparations to send humans to Mars by 2030. The government agency has sent space rovers and space crafts to the planet for years in order to gather more information.