Where Would you Site a Mars Base

Use the Mars Atlas to find a location to land and create a Mars base.

This activity can be used for teaching a range of topics, including KS2 Science (Living things and their habitats), KS2/3 Geography (Human and physical geography, Geographical skills) and GCSE Geography (Physical environments, Natural hazards, Resource management).

Here are some things to think about in choosing a site for your Mars settlement:

• Location:
  • Near the equator?
  • At mid-latitude?
  • Near a pole?
  • Why?
• Land surface:
  • On a plain?
  • Near mountains or volcanoes?
  • On a desert?
• Weather:
  • Do you want an area with frequent sandstorms or high winds?
  • If not, how do you avoid these?
• Do you want a base near previous landers?
  • If so, why?
• What science activities will you do at your base?
  • Have you chosen the right place for these activities?
• How will you get water and air for base?
• If your base is near volcanoes, are there still any active volcanoes on Mars?

Discuss these issues with your class and identify your own site for a Mars base, or download our activity worksheet and discuss the pros and cons of five candidate sites.

Download activity worksheet.

Tell us about your Mars base!

Resources

Download presentation and worksheet.