Mars, often referred to as the “Red Planet” due to its surface rich in iron oxide that gives it a reddish hue, is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second smallest in the Solar System after Mercury. With a diameter of approximately 6,779 kilometers, Mars has a thin atmosphere composed primarily of carbon dioxide, along with traces of nitrogen and argon.

The Martian surface is a combination of cold deserts, vast volcanic plains, large canyons, and polar ice caps made of water and frozen carbon dioxide.