Mars Express Takes You on a Wild Water Ride Across the Red Planet!

Mars, as we know it today, is a cold and arid desert. However, evidence strongly suggests that the Red Planet was once much warmer and wetter, with vast bodies of water flowing across its surface. ESA's Mars Express mission provides compelling visual evidence of this watery past with its latest flyover of Xanthe Terra, a highland region scarred by colossal outflow channels. The highlight of the tour is Shalbatana Vallis, a 1300-kilometer-long channel that acted as a major artery for ancient Martian floods. Billions of years ago, immense volumes of water surged through this channel, carving deep valleys and shaping the landscape we see today. The flyover reveals the sheer scale of these ancient floods and the erosive power of water on the Martian surface. Notice the islands scattered throughout the channels. These landforms are remnants of the original Martian surface that resisted the relentless erosion of the flowing water. Their presence offers clues about the composition and resilience of the Martian terrain. Chryse Planitia, a vast, smooth plain, marks the endpoint of Shalbatana Vallis. It's believed that this lowland area was once a large lake or ocean, fed by the water that flowed through Xanthe Terra's outflow channels. The features seen in this flyover showcase how water shaped the transition from the highlands to the lowlands on Mars.