Mars, the mysterious red planet, has attracted wide public interest for over a century. This wide-ranging documentary includes NASA Mariner 4 images of Mars from 1965, the mystique of the pyramids and fluvial erosion channels, and the potential of a European contribution to a manned Mars mission. There is a lengthy animation section outlining some future possibilities. Video includes:

00:07 Mars And The Pyramids Of Elysium – start

00:12 In 1887 Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli turned his telescope towards planet Mars

00:30 He concluded that there could only be intelligent live on Mars. This started a legend of Mars

01:15 In 1898 H.G. Wells wrote “The war of the Worlds” with animation of the war

02:16 J.F. Kennedy and Lyndon B Johnson and John Glenn

02:22 On 1 Nov 1962 the Russians launched spacecraft Destine to discover Mars. Nikita Krushow. The mission failed. In 1964 NASA tried the same but also failed.

02:43 On 14 July 1965 NASA Mariner 4, the first spacecraft to obtain and transmit close range images of Mars. Animations and images.

03:55 Illustration of spacecraft structure in space.

04:07 Richard Nixon vetoed the idea of a space station.

04:12 George Bush liked the idea.

04:24 ESA HQ and Aerospatiale buildings. ESA Space Station and Microgravity, Aerospatiale, MBB/ERNO, Alenia Spazio and British Aerospace began to look a man missions to Mars in study “Marsemi”

05:00 Illustration of planetary orbits and getting to Mars is not easy. Earth and Mars have different orbits around the Sun. Mars orbit lasts 687 days. Venus can be used as a gravitational trampoline.

5:42 “Marsemi” study overview

6:47 What it takes to get to Mars: animated video. Illustration of spacecraft which can be used to go Mars, and how it goes there, around Venus, arriving to Mars.

8:04 The Excursion Vehicle lands on Mars, with help of large parachutes

9:34 Rover drives over the Martian surface

10:17 Orbiter survey Mars.

10:31 The Excursion Vehicle takes off after about one months and re-unite with the Orbiter.

10:38 The crew returns to the Return vehicle and begin their travel home to Earth

10:42 Soil samples from Mars returns from the polar parameter of Mars contains primitive organisms

10:53 Second step in the “Marsemi” study is to return to Mars with a cargo vehicle etc. and a base is constructed on Mars surface, and exploration of Mars.

12:02 Next step in the “Marsemi” study includes the study of the Mars moons. Years indicated for this are in 2069.

12:41 Animated images of Mars surface

14:13 Imaginary future large spaceship towards Mars, and the construction of village on Mars

15:42 ESA astronauts on Mars

15:46 The end