Deep gouge on planet Mars could be home away from home

Humans, take a look at the valley where some of your future relatives might live should mankind find a way to settle on Mars.

The European Space Agency has released a fascinating flyover of Mawrth Vallis, a 600km long fissure that has been pinpointed as a potential habitable location on the red planet.

The four-billion-year-old ravine measures up to 2km deep (slightly deeper than the Grand Canyon in the US), and research of surface conditions indicate it could possibly be a source of potential water.

Although just an animation, the highly detailed footage has been produced using real data from incredible high resolution cameras on board Mars Express, a space mission with an objective to learn more about our neighbouring planet.

The aerial trip starts at the mouth of Mawrth Vallis and extends into the vast plain of Chryse Planitia.

From there, our journey continues to take a winding course into the heavily cratered Arabia Terra highlands, north of the Martian equator.

Numerous impact craters and light and dark deposits can be seen. The light, layered sediments are an indication that liquid water existed in this region, scientists believe.

Mawrth Vallis (Mawrth is the Welsh word for Mars) has been shortlisted as a potential landing spot for a rover to land and drill into the planet's surface fort further research and its potential suitability to sustain life.

Oxia Planum, Aram Dosum and Hypanis Vallis are the three other suggested landing sites for ExoMars currently under consideration.