Amazonis Planitia’s Best Base Site

[Updated on: August 8, 2025]

Mars shallow ice is the key to living off the land on the Red Planet. Astronauts will need water for drinking, growing food, making oxygen, and producing methane rocket fuel. New research points to Amazonis Planitia—near the Martian equator—as a prime region where ice may sit less than a meter below the surface, making it far easier to dig than at the poles.

Where the new evidence points

Scientists analyzed high-resolution images from NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) and identified candidate landing sites at the boundary of northern Amazonis Planitia and Arcadia Planitia (AP-1, AP-8, AP-9). Polygonal ground, eroded crater rims, and other periglacial features there strongly suggest near-surface ground ice accessible to early crews. These findings were published in JGR: Planets in 2025 and summarized by USGS and Astrobiology updates. In short: dig shallow, get water.

Why Amazonis Planitia stands out

• Latitude advantage: It’s closer to the equator than most proven ice sites—warmer temperatures and more sunlight for solar power.
• Recent “ice exposure” proof nearby: In 2021 a meteoroid strike in Amazonis Planitia excavated a fresh crater with blocky water ice visible around the rim, imaged by MRO’s HiRISE camera in 2022.
• Multiple lines of evidence: Arcadia–Amazonis studies plus prior “treasure map” work identify broad areas with ice just inches to a few feet down.

How much water would a crew need?

A four-person expedition staying ~500 days could require tens of tons of water. Shipping that from Earth is costly and slow. Therefore, in-situ resource utilization (ISRU)—mining shallow ice and processing it on Mars—is mission-critical.

Fresh context you should know

• 2025: A JGR: Planets study highlights near-surface ice sites in northern Amazonis/Arcadia as leading candidates for human missions. Agencies flagged AP-8 as especially favorable.
• 2024: ESA’s Trace Gas Orbiter spotted morning water frost on the Tharsis volcano calderas—evidence that water can still cycle at low latitudes.
• 2022: A large impact in Amazonis Planitia revealed exposed water ice, directly imaged by HiRISE—visual confirmation that ice can lurk just below the dust.
• 2019: NASA released a global “treasure map” of near-surface ice to guide future landings.

What comes next

Before humans land, rovers or landers should ground-truth Amazonis Planitia with drilling and thermal probes. If ice is confirmed within ~1 meter, Amazonis could host the first long-duration base: more sunlight than the poles, milder temperatures, and ready access to water.

Watch: why Martian “icy craters” matter

Key takeaways for mission planners

• Mars shallow ice near Amazonis–Arcadia could be < 1 m deep—reachable by light drilling.
• Sites like AP-8 combine safe terrain with likely ice, improving ISRU and power budgets.
• Visible ice blocks at an Amazonis impact (2022) provide rare, direct confirmation in this region.
• Morning frost on Tharsis shows active water cycling even at low latitudes.

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