According to Mars\’ Curiosity Rover there is a surprising amount of water within the soil of Mars. When the Curiosity Rover heated a small quantity of of the soil, the most abundant vapour that the Rover detected was water. Researchers have told the Science Magazine that Mars\’ dusty red covering contains about 2% by weight of water. Which could potentially be a vital resource for future astronaut explorers.
To put this into perspective, in about 0.03 cubic meters of Martian soil you could maybe get a couple of pints (0.47 litres) of water out of that. However this hasn\’t been the first sign of water on the red planet. The Curiosity Rover has detected patterns on Mars\’ surface which could once have been a sign of flowing water. Also at Mars\’ polar ice caps, deep beneath them there is thought to be ice which again could help to sustain future Martian Explorers. In fact in 2023, \’Mars One\’ is planning on sending up four members (on a one way ticket)of the general public from four different continents with the right training in order to survive on Mars. Astonishingly more than 200,000 people applied for this experience of a lifetime!