A Possible Landing Site for the ExoMars Rover at Mawrth Vallis
This digital terrain model (DTM) covers part of the proposed landing site for the European Space Agency’s ExoMars Rover at Mawrth Vallis. The proposed landing site is on the southern margins of the main Mawrth Vallis channel and southeast of the proposed Mars Science Laboratory landing site.

This cutout shows the DTM overlaid on a HiRISE image. The DTM has been used to determine topographic information that would allow the rover to land safely.

At Mawrth Vallis, dark-toned material, possible volcanic ash beds or lava flows, lies on top of light-toned material. The light-toned material is considered a prime target for the rover, as this material is rich in clay minerals, which likely formed due to alteration by water billions of years ago.

Written by: Joel Davis