Since the first flyby in 1965 Mars has been extensively explored by orbiters, landers and rovers and today we know a great deal about the planet’s surface, atmosphere and geological history. This lecture will focus on the results from most recent NASA Mars Science Laboratory mission - The Curiousity Rover Mission. It will also look forward to the upcoming European mission. Professor Sanjeev Gupta, who is based at Imperial College London, is a field geologist and expert on Mars geology. He is a science team member and long term science planner on NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover mission, which is currently exploring Gale Crater. He has published extensively both on Martian and terrestrial geology.

This event is supported by: Belfast Geologists’ Society, The Geological Society Northern Ireland Regional Group and The Irish Astronomical Association.