| Hypanis Vallis | |
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| Length | 231.0 km |
| Naming | Classical name for river in Scythia; present Kuban River in Russia. |
Hypanis Vallis is a 270 km valley in Xanthe Terra on Mars at 11ºN, 314ºE. It appears to have been carved by long-lived flowing water, and a significant river delta exists at its outlet into the lowlands.[1]
Hypanis Vallis is one of the sites proposed as a landing site for the Mars Science Laboratory. However, it did not make the final cut. The aim of the Mars Science Laboratory is to search for signs of ancient life. It is hoped that a later mission could then return samples from sites identified as probably containing remains of life. To safely bring the craft down, a 12 mile wide, smooth, flat circle is needed. Geologists hope to examine places where water once ponded.[2] They would like to examine sediment layers.