Researchers from the University of Mississippi carried out the study using HiRISE, the most detailed camera ever sent to orbit Mars, to analyse surface features that could pose challenges for human landings.
The findings, published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, highlight one region with conditions considered suitable for future crewed missions.
The study points to Amazonis Planitia, a mid latitude region, as a prime candidate. Scientists describe it as a “Goldilocks” zone that receives sufficient sunlight for solar power while remaining cold enough to preserve water ice close to the surface, an essential resource for human explorers.
Erica Luzzi, a planetary geologist and lead author of the study, said accessible water is critical for human missions. She explained that water would not only be needed for drinking but also for producing propellant and supporting a wide range of mission activities.
Water ice near the surface is particularly valuable because it could allow astronauts to generate drinking water and breathable oxygen, both crucial for long term survival far from Earth.
Giacomo Nodjoumi, a postdoctoral researcher at the Space Science Data Center of the Italian Space Agency and a co author of the study, said resupply from Earth would be extremely difficult. He noted that while missions to the Moon allow for relatively quick return trips, travel to Mars would take months, making self sufficiency essential.
He added that oxygen and water are the most important resources for sustaining human life, which is why the identified landing site stands out as especially promising.
Despite the strong orbital evidence, researchers stressed that further confirmation is needed. They said robotic missions or future human explorers would have to collect samples on the ground to determine whether the ice is pure water or mixed with other materials.
Nodjoumi said that while current data strongly suggests the presence of water ice, only direct measurements on the surface can provide complete certainty.
