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Space exploration has witnessed a steady increase since the 1960s, with Mars
playing a significant role in our quest for further knowledge. As the ambition
to colonize Mars becomes a reality through the collaboration of private
companies and space agencies, the need for reliable and robust communication
infrastructures in the Martian environment becomes paramount. In this context,
reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS)-empowered communication emerges as a
promising technology to enhance the coverage and improve the communication
quality. By considering various Martian scenarios such as canyons, craters,
mountains, and plateaus, this article explores of the potential of RISs in
increasing the coverage in Martian environments, thereby enabling future Mars
missions to be more robust and reliable. The article also investigates the
application of RIS-assisted localization in both line-of-sight (LOS) and
non-line-of-sight (NLOS) scenarios, presenting a general framework for accurate
user angle estimation in challenging Martian conditions. The findings and
presented framework of this article provide a promising research direction for
integrating RISs in deep space communication as well as paving the way for
future improvements in interplanetary communication networks.
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