Not too long ago, the thought of surveying Mars felt like a punchline, something out of a sci-fi movie. But today, it’s real, serious, and actively happening. Space agencies around the world are doing what we, as land surveyors on Earth, have always done: studying terrain, measuring boundaries, and preparing land for development. Only this time, the land is 225 million kilometers away.
Yes, Mars is officially on the map. And mapping it is now a global priority.
So Who’s Surveying Mars and Why?
Before anything can be built whether on Earth or Mars you need accurate survey data. It’s no different in space. Here’s a look at how various countries and agencies are already staking their claim in Martian mapping:
NASA – Mars Global Surveyor (1996–2006)
NASA has always been the heavyweight in planetary exploration. Its Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) mission was one of the first to seriously chart the Martian landscape. From orbit, MGS gave us detailed topography, images of ancient riverbeds, and elevation data. It’s thanks to this mission that we even know where to safely land on Mars today.
The two images, originally published by NASA’s Mars Orbiter Camera project shown here were captured by the Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) narrow-angle high-resolution instrument and enhanced with color data from the MOC wide-angle cameras. Both images reveal gullies carved into the walls of two separate impact craters located within Newton Basin in the Sirenum Terra region of Mars.
The left image, taken at 42.4°S, 158.2°W, shows gullies along the crater wall dusted with patches of winter frost. Dark-toned sand dunes are visible on the crater floor. The right image, captured at 39.0°S, 166.1°W, is among the highest-resolution images ever taken of Mars, with a clarity of 1.5 meters (5 feet) per pixel, sharp enough to detect features as small as a school bus in the full-resolution version.
ESA – Mars Express (Launched 2003)
Europe joined the Martian game with Mars Express. This long-running mission has been giving us 3D visuals of Mars since 2003. Beyond just maps, it’s helped scientists understand what the atmosphere is made of and where water might’ve once flowed, valuable clues for future life-support systems or resource harvesting.
India – Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan, 2013)
India made headlines in 2013 when it successfully launched Mangalyaan, its first Mars mission. On a budget smaller than some Hollywood films, ISRO proved that you don’t need billions to reach and study Mars. Mangalyaan provided valuable imaging and atmospheric data, proving that new players can join the race and still contribute solid science.
ESA’s Upcoming Rosalind Franklin Rover (Planned for 2028)
Think of this as the next-generation land surveyor. ESA’s Rosalind Franklin Rover, set to launch in 2028, is designed to search for signs of ancient life beneath Mars’s surface. But before it drills, it has to survey—using sensors, cameras, and onboard labs. It’s essentially a mobile GIS lab on wheels.
No GNSS on Mars!!
Exactly. Mars doesn’t have its own satellite positioning system like our GNSS/CORS networks here on Earth. So how do they measure accurately?
They rely on orbital imagery, LiDAR, visual odometry, and inertial measurement units. Rovers navigate using landmarks, literally using rocks as control points. While accuracy is still improving, some techniques already get us to meter-level precision, which is remarkable for an environment no one has physically stepped foot on.
Why This Matters (Even to Surveyors in Lagos, PH, or Kaduna)
Let’s be real, none of us are packing our GNSS kits for Mars just yet. But the principle remains: wherever there’s development, surveying comes first. Whether you’re pegging plots in Port Harcourt or mapping Martian terrain, the core idea is the same, understand the land before you touch it.
Mars surveying reminds us that our skills are timeless and borderless. In fact, they’re interplanetary. So every time NASA or ISRO maps a crater or identifies a potential landing site, they’re not just doing science. They’re laying the groundwork for future cities, transport routes, mining operations even Martian property lines. So maybe, just maybe, the next generation of surveyors won’t just register land in Abuja or Enugu but in Valles Marineris or Olympus Mons. Because the future of surveying isn’t just global. It’s interplanetary.
Reference
NASA/Malin Space Science Systems. (n.d.). Gullies in Newton Basin Craters – Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera. Retrieved from https://mars.nasa.gov/mgs/msss/camera/images/
