One area of research into mars current and past potential for habitability has been on volatile elements and the evolution of the martian atmosphere. The proposed research directly addresses these…

Arizona State University received a $117,136 research grant awarded on August 12, 2025, for a project titled "Constraining the Accretion and Outgassing of Martian Interior Volatiles Through High-Precision Noble Gas Analyses." The research, funded by a civilian federal agency's Shared Services Center, addresses critical questions regarding Mars's current and past habitability by investigating volatile elements and the evolution of the Martian atmosphere. Specifically, the project will constrain volatile sources on Mars and quantify the degree of interior-surface volatile exchange throughout Martian history through analysis of multiple noble gases. The work will be conducted at ASU's Tempe, Arizona campus with completion targeted for August 11, 2027. This award carries no set-aside designation, reflecting ASU's competitive positioning in the federal research marketplace.

This grant aligns with NASA's broader planetary science objectives to advance understanding of Mars's geological evolution and environmental conditions that may have supported past microbial life. ASU, a leading Hispanic-serving research institution, brings substantial expertise in space science and advanced analytical research to this initiative. The university has an established track record executing complex research projects for federal agencies including NASA, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Energy, positioning it as a capable partner for sophisticated scientific investigations requiring specialized instrumentation and technical expertise in geochemical analysis.

One area of research into mars current and past potential for habitability has been on volatile elements and the evolution of the martian atmosphere. The proposed research directly addresses these critical areas by constraining volatile sources for mars and the degree of the interior-surface volatile exchange through mars history through the use of multiple noble gases.