The Dawn spacecraft, launched September 27, 2007, is expected to flyby Mars in 2009.

It is exciting times in Martian exploration. We are learning new things about Mars all the time. Most of them are things that happened millions of years ago. However, the avalances are events that are happening now.

Additional investigations onto the surface of Mars, will, undoubtedly, learn more about the daily life of Mars. These investigations are important so we can learn more about how the solar system developed, how we developed on Earth.

These discoveries are also important for future manned Martian missions as we carefully develop spacecraft that one day will take us to Mars. [updated 3-5-08]