The Search For Life On Mars Is Heating Up And Getting Crowded

<p>The latest mission to the red planet is doing what most of them have been doing these days:&nbsp;<a href="http://exploration.esa.int/mars/46048-programme-overview/" target="_blank">hunting for signs of life</a>.</p><p><b>SEE MORE: <a href="http://www.newsy.com/videos/mars-was-nicer-when-it-rained-asteroids/">Mars Was Nicer When It Rained Asteroids</a></b></p><p>ExoMars 2016 is a joint mission between the European and Russian space agencies. It comes in two parts.</p><p>First, the orbiter will&nbsp;<a href="http://exploration.esa.int/mars/46475-trace-gas-orbiter/" target="_blank">investigate trace gases</a>&nbsp;that might have come from biological activity. Then, its tiny lander will&nbsp;<a href="http://exploration.esa.int/mars/47852-entry-descent-and-landing-demonstrator-module/" target="_blank">test a rocket-powered braking system</a>&nbsp;for a full-size science rover that will launch in 2020. That rover you guessed it will search for signs of life.</p><p>But we&#39;ve been combing Mars for biological clues&nbsp;<a href="http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/viking.html" target="_blank">since the Viking program</a>&nbsp;in the &#39;70s, and we haven&#39;t found any yet. So why are we still at it?</p><p>We know conditions on Mars were&nbsp;<a href="https://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msp98/why.html" target="_blank">more hospitable</a>&nbsp;earlier in its history. Liquid water was even on the surface. And knowing if there was life there or if there&#39;s life there now could be critical in&nbsp;<a href="http://www.space.com/16777-curiosity-rover-many-mars-missions.html" target="_blank">helping us plan</a>&nbsp;for eventual human visits.</p><p>And what&#39;s special about 2020? It&#39;s not just a nice round number.&nbsp;<a href="http://history.nasa.gov/monograph21/Chapter%201.pdf" target="_blank">Every 26 months</a>, Earth and Mars are closer than usual, which makes trips between the two faster and cheaper.</p><p>NASA is launching its own Mars rover&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasas-next-mars-rover-progresses-toward-2020-launch" target="_blank">in 2020</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/second-mission-to-mars-may-be-by-2020-isro-chief-k-radhakrishnan/articleshow/45126648.cms" target="_blank">India</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-37171942" target="_blank">China</a>&nbsp;are planning to send their own rovers by then, too. Never mind signs of life the ExoMars rover might end up hunting for parking space.</p><hr><b>Trending stories at <a href="http://www.newsy.com">Newsy.com</a></b><ul class="inline-related-links"><li><a href="http://www.newsy.com/videos/great-barrier-reef-isn-t-dead-yet/">The Great Barrier Reef Isn&#039;t Dead (Not Yet, At Least)</a></li><li><a href="http://www.newsy.com/videos/why-living-on-mars-is-easier-than-living-on-the-moon/">Think Mars Bases Will Have It Hard? Moon Bases Get An Even Worse Deal</a></li><li><a href="http://www.newsy.com/videos/redshifting-causes-the-sky-to-look-emptier-at-night/">Why Is The Night Sky Black? Dust, Gas And The Color Red</a></li></ul>