SubsurfaceTheoretical — concept only

Potential Geothermal Energy

Volcanic regions: Tharsis Bulge, Elysium Planitia — areas of potential residual geological heat

Color mosaic of Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in the solar system, with its summit caldera — Image: NASA/JPL (Viking 1 Orbiter)

Location & ISRU Feasibility

Where

Volcanic provinces (Tharsis, Elysium); regional radiogenic-heat anomaly studied in Eridania (~37°S 180°E)

Extraction feasibility

Theoretical only

Present-day heat flow is low and was never measured to target depth (InSight's HP3 mole stalled at ~31 cm of a 3–5 m goal); elevated values in the literature are modeled ancient-era estimates, so practical crewed geothermal power is not currently viable.

Extraction technology

No demonstrated technology; would require deep drilling to reach any residual heat. InSight's HP3 heat-flow probe failed to penetrate the Martian duricrust, leaving even baseline present-day heat-flow data incomplete.

Overview

Mars is geologically less active than Earth but not dead. MAVEN discovered ongoing volcanic-style chemistry, and Tharsis and Elysium show geological ages of <100 million years in some areas. InSight's HP³ heat probe (despite not penetrating deeply enough) measured heat flow suggesting Mars has cooled significantly. For practical ISRU purposes, geothermal power on Mars is theoretical — nuclear fission power is more reliable. However, subsurface brines or hydrothermal vents near Tharsis remain astrobiologically interesting.

ISRU Application

If accessible — geothermal could power crewed outposts without nuclear or solar dependence

Reality Check

InSight detected very low heat flux (~21 mW/m² near Elysium Planitia) — far below economically viable geothermal extraction; Mars may be too geologically cold for practical geothermal

Sources

[1] Nature Communications (Ojha et al. 2021) — retrieved 2026-06-13
[2] Nature Geoscience (InSight heat flow) — retrieved 2026-06-01

Confidence: medium · Last verified 2026-06-01

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