North Polar Basin (Mars) suggest that a body approximately 0.02 Mars masses in size is capable of producing a sizable debris disk in Martian orbit, on the order of 5x10 kg, with a significant fraction of the material remaining close to Mars. This figure lies within the estimated mass range necessary to form the two moons, as other data suggests that only 1% of the mass of an accretion disk successfully forms moons. There are several other large impact basins on Mars that could have ejected enough debris to form the moons. Analysis of Mars Global Surveyor data found mineral deposits similar to terminal
Mars Exploration Program used toward a mission that is part of the Mars Sample Return program. As a result of the smaller budget for the MEP, NASA was forced to cancel the Mars Science Orbiter planned for 2016 that would have studied the climate of the planet. NASA does not have any missions for the future of the MEP, as a plan is still being developed that will encompass the next few decades. Mars Exploration Program The Mars Exploration Program (MEP) is a long-term effort to explore the planet Mars, funded and led by NASA. Formed in 1993, MEP has made use of