Water on Mars of these salts". NASA also reported that Jake M rock, a rock encountered by "Curiosity" on the way to Glenelg, was a mugearite and very similar to terrestrial mugearite rocks. On December 9, 2013, NASA reported that Mars once had a large freshwater lake inside Gale Crater, that could have been a hospitable environment for microbial life. On December 16, 2014, NASA reported detecting an unusual increase, then decrease, in the amounts of methane in the atmosphere of the planet Mars; in addition, organic chemicals were detected in powder drilled from a rock by the "Curiosity" rover. Also, based on
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