Three phases of terraforming Mars by Björn Selin

Annotated images with three phases of exploring and terraforming Mars by Swedish game artist Björn Selin. The images were made with the guidance of planetary scientist Chris McKay from NASA's Ames Research Center.

Phase 1 - exploration - humans can explore the barren Red planet only within protective pressure suits / rovers / habitats:

Phase 2 - planetary ecosynthesis - the air pressure and temperature has risen to the level where only warm clothing and oxygen mask is needed; simple organisms as lichens can be introduced:

Phase 3 - spreading life - humidity and temperature has risen to the level where only oxygen mask is needed; more complex organisms can be introduced:

Early human base on Mars by Ronan Le Fur (Dofresh)

Picture of the Day 10/8/2019 - Astronaut observing early human base on Mars by French concept artist and illustrator Ronan Le Fur (known as Dofresh). More of his art here.

SpaceX. Raising the bar!

"Do it", as Elon Musk bluntly replied to the bragging of Boeing's CEO about "beating Elon Musk to Mars" 😁

These days SpaceX is the leading NewSpace company developing innovative and cost-effective rocket/space technologies and beating all the "space dinosaurs" in the field. Its ultimate goal is to colonize Mars. In the spirit of this reality Instagram user starjet_pilot has made this retro style poster (recalling the iconic photography of US soldiers raising the flag on Iwo Jima by Joe Rosenthal) of starmen raising the flag of SpaceX on Mars with the Starship in the background.

Mars colony by Alexey Shugurov

Picture of the Day 4/4/2019 - Astronaut trying to charge his ATV near a futuristic human colony on Mars by Ukrainian fantasy and space artist Alexey Shugurov. More of his art here.

Poster of SpaceX Starman "Mars. Mission Dragon"

Poster of SpaceX's Starman "Mars. Mission Dragon" by Instagram user starjet_pilot.

D-Mars mission habitat in southern Israel

Astronauts returning to D-Mars mission habitat in southern Israel; photo by Niamh Shaw. D-Mars (Desert Mars Analog Ramon Station) is Israel's 1st Mars analog research station similar to Mars Society's Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) in Utah, US where astronauts, scientists and space enthusiasts can train for future human missions to Mars.

The station is located in a desolate area in Israel’s Negev Desert near the 200 million-year-old, 25-mile-wide Ramon Crater. Although not an impact crater, but a rare form of erosion structures, it has a resemblance to a variety of terrain types relevant to Mars exploration. The surrounding area hosts many similarities to the Martian environment in its geology, aridity and isolation.

SpaceX explorers digging out Opportunity by Leonhard Loacker

Picture of the Day 25/2/2019 - Drawing of future SpaceX explorers digging out NASA's Opportunity rover on Mars by young Austrian artist Leonhard Loacker. More of his art on his Instagram profile.

Images from NatGeo's MARS episode 6 of season 2

Sixth episode "The Shake Up" ( s02e06 ) of National Geographic's MARS TV series season 2 has been aired. Here are some images from the episode.

Storyline in short: Using explosives, miners from Lukrum colony finally get to an underground water aquifer. But water is under pressure and causes a severe earthquake, damaging Olympus Town but completely destroying Lukrum colony, leaving a dozen miners dead. While inspecting his ruined base the commander of Lukrum colony is killed in an accident. The season ends on a positive note - Earth is introduced with the first child born on Mars and Olympus Town is repaired and is open for future expansion.

Images from other episodes of season 2: ► Episode 1  ► Episode 2  ► Episode 3  ► Episode 4  ► Episode 5

Images from NatGeo's MARS episode 5 of season 2

Fifth episode "Power Play" ( s02e05 ) of National Geographic's MARS TV series season 2 has been aired. Here are some images from the episode.

► Watch full episode 5 of season 2 here

Storyline in short: Miners from Lukrum colony are prospecting for resources and require additional power from Olympus Town. Meanwhile on Earth Lukrum Industries struck deal with Russia to get exclusive mining rights on Mars. While Olympus Town's commander is inspecting potential water site her deputy cuts power to Lukrum colony causing power outage there and nearly killing some of the miners.

Images from other episodes of season 2: ► Episode 1  ► Episode 2  ► Episode 3  ► Episode 4  ► Episode 6

Images from NatGeo's MARS episode 4 of season 2

Fourth episode "Contagion" ( s02e04 ) of National Geographic's MARS TV series season 2 has been aired. Here are some images from the episode.

Storyline in short: Deadly Martian pathogen strikes both Lukrum colony and Olympus Town. It's discovered only a Penicillin can fight it and it's available only on Chinese orbital station which drops it to the ground.

Images from other episodes of season 2: ► Episode 1  ► Episode 2  ► Episode 3  ► Episode 5  ► Episode 6

Images from NatGeo's MARS episode 3 of season 2

Third episode "Darkness falls" ( s02e03 ) of National Geographic's MARS TV series season 2 has been aired today. Here are some images from the episode.

► Watch full episode 3 of season 2 here

Storyline in short: Massive solar flare knocks out electrical grid and communications on Mars in time when one of the scientists is taking samples from Lukrum's water drilling site on her own, without informing anyone. Miners from Lukrum colony rescue her life, thus restoring relations between the two settlements.

Images from other episodes of season 2: ► Episode 1  ► Episode 2  ► Episode 4  ► Episode 5  ► Episode 6

Images from NatGeo's MARS episode 2 of season 2

Second episode "Worlds apart" ( s02e02 ) of National Geographic's MARS TV series season 2 has been aired. Here are some images from the episode, apart from those seen in the trailer and promotional collection.

► Watch full episode 2 of season 2 here

Storyline in short: While scientists from Olympus Town and miners from Lukrum colony are making connections, miners discover a liquid water pocket bellow the surface of Mars. Now the Lukrum colony can be independent from the resources of Olympus Town but scientists are not happy with miners contaminating possible shelter of Martian life-forms. Meanwhile one of the original crew discovers she is pregnant but Olympus Town commander's twin sister dies from tumor during a flight to Mars.

Images from other episodes of season 2: ► Episode 1  ►Episode 3  ► Episode 4  ► Episode 5  ► Episode 6

NatGeo's "Mars" TV series - cover art for season 2

Season 2 of National Geographic's MARS part documentary, part fiction TV series is starting today. In season 1 the series depicted first human mission to Mars and hardships of building a base on Mars. The six-episode season 2 will dig deeper into the challenges of life on Mars, from the first Martian-born babies to first commercial efforts to exploit the planet's resources.

More content from season 2:  ► FULL EPISODES  ► HD images  ► Trailer and images from it

Here are some cover art images and posters for season 2. Open link in new tab to view images in full resolution.

NatGeo's "Mars" TV series - HD images from season 2

National Geographic's "Mars" part documentary, part fiction TV series depicted first human mission to Mars and hardships of building a base on Mars in a lava tube in season 1. The six-episode season 2 promises to dig deeper into the challenges of life on Mars, covering everything from the first Martian-born babies to surviving the common cold to the first commercial efforts by Lukrum Corporation to exploit the planet's resources. Season 2 will be broadcasted worldwide starting on November 12th.

► Watch full episodes of season 2 here

In July National Geographic released a trailer for the season 2. You can watch and see some HD images from the trailer here.

Here are more images from the season 2. Open link in new tab to view images in full resolution.

Basejumping in Valles Marineris by Quentin Gautier

Picture of the Day 5/11/2018 - astronauts basejumping in Valles Marineris on Mars by Canadian concept artist Quentin Gautier. More of his art here.

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Traveling Starman on Mars by Peter DeLuce

Picture of the Day 26/9/2018 - SpaceX's Starman on Mars with his Tesla Roadster and three Big Falcon Ships in the background - digital painting created by illustrator Peter DeLuce. More of his art here.

Scientist in a Mars base laboratory by sabotSsnake

Picture of the Day 23/9/2018 - Scientist in a Mars base laboratory by fantasy artist Darien Liddell (sabotSsnake) from New Zealand. More of his art here.

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Mars Police illustrations by Matt Chinworth

Illustrations of Mars police's daily life by American illustrator Matt Chinworth for an article "How Will Police Solve Murders on Mars?" in The Atlantic. More of his illustrations here.

Olympus Mons erupting

Picture of the Day 6/9/2018 - Eruption of the Olympus Mons on Mars seen by an astronaut; created by Reddit user Jason251.

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Retro Mars rover illustration by Jack Coggins

Picture of the Day 4/9/2018 - Retro Mars rover illustration by Jack Coggins from "Rockets, Satellites, and Space Travel" book (1958).