dexinwin September 29, 2026— Chinese scientists are advancing plans to produce a new generation of global geological maps of Mars, with the project scheduled for completion by the end of2028.
Unlike an ordinary surface map, the project aims to reconstruct the geological evolution of the Red Planet by combining orbital and surface exploration data, including imagery, spectroscopy, radar, gravity and magnetic-field measurements. Scientists hope the resulting map will provide a more complete picture of how Mars changed over billions of years and help answer questions about its ancient water environments and climate history.
Hou Zengqian, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and chief scientist of China's Tianwen-3 Mars sample-return mission, disclosed the plan on September 28 at a meeting held by the Institute of Geology under the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences.
According to Hou, the new geological map will include a proposed Chinese framework for dividing Martian geological periods. The project is expected to produce a1:5 million-scale global geological map of Mars, 1:50,000 geological maps of landing areas and a series of specialized geological atlases.
Reconstructing Mars Through Its Geological Record
Mars is cold and dry today, but evidence collected by spacecraft and rovers indicates that the planet was very different in its early history.
Scientists have identified geological evidence associated with ancient rivers, lakes and possible oceans. By studying rocks, sediments, surface formations and subsurface structures, researchers can reconstruct environmental changes that occurred over different periods.
Data from China's Zhurong rover are expected to play an important role in the new map.
According to China's Xinhua News Agency, Zhurong-related findings suggest that Mars may have had an intercontinental-scale ancient ocean about3.5 billion years ago, while short-lived flooding may have occurred around1.6 billion years ago. These findings are expected to be incorporated into the new global geological map.
Earlier research based on Zhurong's ground-penetrating radar also provided evidence that significant water activity may have remained on Mars as recently as approximately750 million years ago, offering new clues about the duration and evolution of Martian water environments.
Combining Multiple Types of Mars Data
The project will make extensive use of data from China's Tianwen-1 mission while also incorporating international Mars exploration datasets.
Researchers plan to combine orbital observations with ground measurements and integrate multiple forms of information.
Orbital images can reveal large-scale geological structures and surface features. Spectral data can help identify minerals, while radar can provide information about subsurface structures. Gravity and magnetic measurements can contribute to studies of Mars' internal structure and geological evolution.
By bringing these datasets together, scientists can move beyond simply identifying what is visible on the surface and begin investigating why particular geological formations developed.
Artificial Intelligence to Assist Geological Interpretation
Artificial intelligence will also play a role in the project.
According to Xinhua, the new geological mapping effort will use AI-assisted remote-sensing interpretation. Geological expertise will be incorporated into rule-based systems connected with large models, while multi-scale attention technologies will be used to process geological structures ranging from local mineral features to large regional formations.
The approach is designed to combine machine processing with expert geological judgment rather than simply generating a map automatically.
AI can help researchers process massive amounts of remote-sensing information and identify potential geological features, while scientists can validate the results, refine the interpretation and explain the geological processes behind them.
Supporting China's Tianwen-3 Mars Sample-Return Mission
The new geological map is also closely connected to China's future Mars exploration plans.
The mapping project is expected to provide scientific support for the Tianwen-3 Mars sample-return mission. One of the mission's major scientific objectives is to search for evidence related to potential ancient life on Mars and study the planet's geological and environmental evolution through returned samples.
Selecting a sampling location requires more than simply identifying an accessible landing site. Scientists need to know the geological age of the area, whether water once existed there, what minerals and sediments are present, and whether the environment may have preserved evidence of ancient habitability.
A detailed global geological map can therefore serve as an important scientific reference for future landing and sampling decisions.
From Zhurong to a Global Map of Mars
Zhurong landed in Mars' Utopia Planitia in May 2021 and conducted surface exploration, collecting scientific data that have contributed to China's growing research into Martian geology and environmental history.
The new mapping project represents a broader effort to integrate these individual discoveries into a global geological framework.
If Zhurong helped scientists determine what could be observed at a particular location, the new global map aims to address a much larger question:
How did Mars become the planet we see today?
Mars may have experienced major environmental changes over billions of years, transitioning from periods with significant water activity to the cold and dry conditions that dominate its present surface.
By developing a new geological chronology and integrating evidence from different missions, Chinese scientists hope to establish a more systematic timeline of Martian evolution.
A Mars “History Map” by 2028
China plans to complete the first version of its 1:5 million-scale global geological map of Mars by the end of2028, together with detailed landing-site maps and specialized geological atlases. The mapping methods are also expected to provide a reference for future geological mapping of the Moon, Venus and asteroids.
The project represents a shift from simply observing Mars toward reconstructing its long-term geological history.
The final map may therefore become more than a chart of mountains, plains and craters. By combining geological evidence accumulated over billions of years, it could provide a timeline of how Mars changed from a planet that may once have supported extensive water environments into the cold, dry world observed today.
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