How strong is the gravity on Mars?
Matt Williams
What is the gravity on Mars? When applied to a spherical body with a given average density, it will be approximately proportional to its radius. These proportionalities can be expressed by the formula g = m/r2, where g is the surface gravity of Mars (expressed as a multiple of the Earth’s, which is 9.8 m/s²), m is its mass – expressed as a multiple of the Earth’s mass (5.976·1024 kg) – and r its radius, expressed as a multiple of the Earth’s (mean) radius (6,371 km). Credit: geodesy.curtin.edu.au For instance, Mars has a mass of 6.4171 x 1023 kg, which is 0.107 times the mass of Earth. Learning more about Martian gravity and how terrestrial organisms fare under it could be a boon for space exploration and missions to other planets as well.