This is a $362,060.26 grant from the Shared Services Center of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) awarded to The Johns Hopkins University to study unusual terrain features on the western flank of Olympus Mons on Mars. The research aims to characterize the origin and formational history of these anomalous terrains, which exhibit elevated thermal inertia, variable albedo, and possible indicators of recent aqueous activity or presence of salt-bearing materials. The grant will fund analysis of remote sensing data, lab work on analog samples, and determination of relative ages to better understand the geologic processes shaping this region of Mars. This is not a set-aside contract. The Johns Hopkins University has significant experience conducting federal research for NASA and other civilian agencies on topics ranging from biomedical science to space exploration.