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NASA researchers have detected atomic oxygen in Mars’s upper atmosphere for the first time in forty years in a discovery that could raise the hopes of inhabiting the planet in 2030.

The oxygen atoms were found in Mars’ mesosphere. The last time oxygen had been detected on the red planet was during the Viking and Mariner missions in the 1970s.

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NASA was finally able to get an accurate reading on the Mars atmosphere because of the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), a Boeing 747SP jetliner that carries a 100-inch diameter telescope.

According to a press release, NASA detected only half of the atomic oxygen it was expecting. Measuring oxygen on Mars is a difficult task for researchers, NASA said, because of the planet’s changing atmosphere. Researchers have also been grappling with Earth’s atmosphere which has been making it difficult for their probes to accurately detect oxygen on Mars.