Mars Ice Maps Are Becoming a Grid for Future Fieldwork

Orbital radar and thermal data are being combined into maps that rank where shallow ice might be reachable by future missions.

Written by: Iris Novak
Published: June 18, 2026
Reading time: 7 minutes

A large observatory telescope silhouetted against a pale sky — Photo credit: Matthew Ansley from Unsplash

Key Findings

Radar, temperature, and terrain data each reveal different parts of the ice question.
Accessible ice must be evaluated alongside landing safety and communications.
Maps express probability, not certainty.

The next useful Mars map may not be the prettiest one. It may be the one that tells engineers where to dig.

Several signals, one grid

Orbital radar can suggest subsurface layers, while thermal behavior hints at what lies close to the surface. Terrain maps add slopes, rocks, and landing risk.

The usable ice problem

Ice that is scientifically interesting may be too deep, too hazardous, or too far from other mission priorities. A planning grid makes tradeoffs visible.