CURRENT AFFAIRS

Detailed explanation-1: -NASA is participating in Mars Express, a mission planned by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Italian Space Agency. The mission is exploring the atmosphere and surface of Mars from polar orbit.

Detailed explanation-2: -Soviet Union’s Mars 3, which landed in 1971, was the first successful Mars landing. As of May 2021, the Soviet Union, United States, and China have conducted Mars landings successfully.

Detailed explanation-3: -NASA and ESA (European Space Agency), its partner in the Mars Sample Return Program, have established a new group of researchers to maximize the scientific potential of Mars rock and sediment samples that would be returned to Earth for in-depth analysis.

Detailed explanation-4: -Instead of sending another rover to help retrieve rock and dirt samples from the red planet and bring them to Earth, the agency will provide the helicopters as a backup option.