Dr. Angélica Anglés holds a degree in Cartography and Geodesy Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Valencia. She has two Masters in Planetary Sciences and Astrophysics from Imperial College London and University College London. Her PhD from the University of Hong Kong in the area of Astrobiology and Planetary Sciences dealt with the possibility of life on Mars and the selection and future return of Martian samples, with field work studying the geological forms of the Qaidam Basin in Tibet as a Mars analogue. She was part of the group that selected the landing site for the Mars 2020 probe at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and is one of five Analogue Astronauts on the first UK Analogue Space Mission. She is a senior researcher at the Icelandic Space Agency, where she has led expeditions in Mars analogue environments. She is a researcher at the Macao Space Science Centre (China) and the European Space Agency. She has taken part in numerous radio, newspaper and television interviews and has received several awards, including the 2020 Visionary Woman Award from Harper's Bazaar Hong Kong magazine. She currently resides in Hong Kong and is the Director of the Explorers Club of Hong Kong.

Using images to determine landing zones on Mars.

The speaker, a researcher specializing in Martian analogues, focuses her work on the study of terrestrial areas that share geological and environmental characteristics with Mars. Her expeditions to the most extreme environments on Earth have provided her with a unique perspective that was fundamental during her participation at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for the selection of the landing site for the Perseverance rover on Mars. During this talk, she will share her experience in the detailed analysis of the Martian surface, a process that combines her training in geomatics with advanced remote sensing techniques. She will explain the methodologies used to study the Martian terrain from Earth, including the analysis of satellite images and various data processing techniques. The selection of the landing site required identifying areas that showed evidence of prolonged water activity and astrobiological potential, while meeting the technical requirements for a safe landing. The talk will delve into how these variables were analyzed to select the optimal location, and how experience on terrestrial analogs proved instrumental in better understanding Martian geological features. This presentation will offer unique insight into the intersection between planetary geology, remote sensing, and space exploration, highlighting their crucial role in the Mars 2020 mission.