NASA's Legendary Satellite Captures Strange Soil Patterns At The Bottom Of Mars' Crater

NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, has transmitted detailed images of Martian volcanoes, dry lakes, valleys, and other geographic sites. (photo: doc. NASA)

JAKARTA - One of NASA's legendary satellites that has been orbiting Mars for 15 years recently sent back an interesting snapshot of Mars' strange geography.

Dubbed NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter satellite, it has been transmitting detailed images of Martian volcanoes, dry lakes, valleys, and other geographic sites. Now bringing back an astonishing new photo of a unique, odd-looking crater on the Martian surface.

The half-mile-wide crater, created by the remains of an asteroid or comet, is filled with artistic psychedelic patterns. It presents an Earth-like phenomenon, with winds blowing sand and soil that produce patterns as diverse as ripples, called Aeolian ripples, located alone at the bottom of the crater.

Compiled from Mashable, Monday, December 6, as seen in the upper right quadrant of the crater in the image, the ripples appear to have formed over a mesa or flat-topped hill. Likely similar to the one in the Southwest desert.

As the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter explores the Red Planet from above, NASA's robotic Perseverance Rover rover is currently exploring on the ground. He's looking for clues to the past about microbial life on the bottom of Martian lakes and waterways.

The rover robot is not alone, it works in tandem with the Mars Ingenuity Helicopter. The mission also collects rock and soil samples to prepare for possible human exploration.

Perseverance is currently examining the Martian Southern Seitah geological unit in the Jezero crater for possible ancient life forms on the Red Planet.

NASA itself not only sent two robots to the Red Planet, but the agency also placed another robotic explorer NASA's Curiosity Rover, which is now looking at possible subsurface habitats that can provide safe shelter for humans on Mars.