Discussion Mars 2020 rover candidate sites.

[RGClark]

Mars scientists tap ancient river deltas and hot springs as promising
targets for 2020 rover.
By Eric Hand 6 August 2015 4:15 pm
http://news.sciencemag.org/space/20...-and-hot-springs-promising-targets-2020-rover

The announced possible sites for the Mars 2020 rover are indeed interesting.
However, I think an important site was left out, Noctis Labyrinthus. Since
the Viking missions it has been known that Noctis frequently displays low
lying fogs or clouds. Since this is a low latitude and low altitude site it
is possible these low lying fogs could contact the ground during the times
the temperatures and pressures are in the range to allow liquid water.

Bob Clark

 

[Urwumpe]

However, I think an important site was left out, Noctis Labyrinthus.

Its a rather bad landing site, by its topography. The next suitable landing site there is a rather long distance away, which would mean multiple months of boring travel on Mars without much chance for the actual science.

I would not say, that it is technically impossible to land a rover in Noctis Labyrinthus. But it would be much harder than other interesting landing sites.