The scientific exploration of Mars / Fredric W. Taylor.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

The dawn of Mars exploration -- The first space missions to Mars -- After Viking : the twenty-year hiatus -- The modern era -- The origin and evolution of planet Mars -- The changing climate of Mars -- The search for life -- The future of the unmanned programme -- Towards human expeditions -- The first footfall on Mars.

"To put present and future Mars exploration in context we must first review the history of Mankind's aspirations, investigations and knowledge regarding our planetary neighbour. The most basic facts about Mars, which are summarized in Appendix A, have been obtained as a result of observation spanning hundreds of years, during most of which researchers were limited to observations from the Earth, although latterly through telescopes of considerable size and sophistication"--Provided by publisher.

"What do we know about Mars? What remains to be understood? Is there evidence of life there? Will humans ever travel there? The dream of exploring Mars has been around since the early days of human civilization and still forms part of our vision of the future for the human race. Today, we send unmanned spacecraft to explore this neighboring world to examine its climate, search for evidence of past or present life, and learn how conditions there relate to those on Earth. Plans are now being prepared for a manned mission to Mars, set against an uncertain background of political, practical, technical and financial considerations. This unique book provides a complete description of the past, present and future of Mars exploration. Written by a scientist intimately involved with missions to Mars, it provides a personal first-hand account. It will appeal to anyone interested in this fascinating planet"--Provided by publisher.