Extraterrestrial life of primitive life near the Rio Tinto river in Spain. NASA officials soon distanced NASA from the scientists' claims, and Stoker herself backed off from her initial assertions. Though such methane findings are still debated, support among some scientists for the existence of life on Mars exists. In November 2011, NASA launched the Mars Science Laboratory that landed the "Curiosity" rover on Mars. It is designed to assess the past and present habitability on Mars using a variety of scientific instruments. The rover landed on Mars at Gale Crater in August 2012. The Gaia hypothesis stipulates that any planet with
Crewed Mars rover the 2010s. The 1980s era Case for Mars design suggest a medium range rover with two compartments, one which could be depressurized and opened up to the Mars atmosphere, and a driving compartments which could remain pressurized during this time. The same study also suggested a bigger long duration rover with tracks and robotic arms, in addition to other types in that Mars surface human mission concept. Airlock design, especially for EVA is an area of study for pressurized rovers. Design ideas for crewed and/or pressurized rovers: Additional possible technologies: A 2004 analysis of a human Mars surface mission suggested