1999年年初,美国耗费1.65亿美元向火星发射了“火星极地着陆者”探测器,经11个月的飞行,应于12月4日凌晨到达火星,但至今未收到探测器发回的信号,估计已失败。美国科学家探测火星的目的何在呢? 据悉,美国人想通过此举进一步了解火星,从而加深人类对自己过去、现在和未来的了解。他们想解决以下几个困惑:火星过去的大气和天气是什么样的?火星上的水或者二氧化碳是什么样的?会隐藏在哪里?天气变化 In early 1999, the United States spent a total of 165 million U.S. dollars on its “Mars Polar Lands” probe to Mars. After 11 months of flight, it should reach Mars in the early hours of December 4, but so far no signal from the probe has been received Estimates have failed. What is the purpose of the U.S. scientists in detecting Mars? It is reported that Americans want to learn more about Mars through this move, so as to deepen the human understanding of their past, present and future. They want to solve the following puzzles: What is the atmosphere and weather of Mars in the past, what is the water or carbon dioxide on Mars, and where it is hidden?