Devon Island

Devon Island Latest News

NASA uses Devon Island to study Mars, primarily because it’s barren and its freezing, polar desert conditions allow researchers to test next-generation rovers.

About Devon Island

• It is located in the Canadian arctic archipelago, within the zone classified as the High Arctic. 
• It is the world’s largest uninhabited island.
• Ellesmere Island lies to the north of Devon Island and Baffin Bay lies to its east.
• Although completely devoid of human settlements, a few species reside on the island. 
• The short growing season of only about 40 to 55 days and the low temperatures (2° to 8°C in summer) discourage the growth of plants here.
• Winters are extremely harsh with temperatures being as low as −50 °C. 
• The limited solar energy input is also one of the factors influencing the existence of life on this island.
• Little precipitation is also received on Devon Island.
• The “out-of-the-world-like” landscape here is cold, dry, and rocky. Snow and ice blanket the island’s ice cap for the entire year.
• Astronauts preparing for Mars missions do pay occasional visits to Devon Island to get used to extraterrestrial conditions.
• NASA uses Devon Island to study Mars, primarily because it’s barren, and its freezing, polar desert conditions allow researchers to test next-generation rovers. 
• It is home to a 14-mile-wide Haughton Crater. It was formed when a meteorite struck millions of years ago, leaving behind terrain that resembles the surface of Mars.

Source: TOI

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