The Mars 2020 mission, led by NASA, has been exploring the Martian terrain since February 18th, 2020. The mission's Perseverance rover and Ingenuity helicopter have been sending back previously unseen images and videos of the Martian surface. The mission has had several firsts, including the first sounds from Mars and the first test of a new onboard navigation system that can guide a rover around potential hazards on Mars.
The mission has been collecting rock samples since mid-August, with NASA planning to retrieve these samples with another spacecraft expected to launch in 2026 and arrive at Mars in 2028. The mission's landing site, Jezero Crater, has been chosen due to its large stack of rocks that scientists believe are from an ancient river flowing into a lake around 3.5 billion years ago.
In April, the Ingenuity helicopter became the first craft to fly in the atmosphere of another planet, demonstrating the ability of helicopters to fly on Mars. However, the mission has faced challenges, including the need for sufficient resources to bring the collected samples back to Earth.
Despite these challenges, the mission has made significant strides in understanding the Martian terrain and has provided valuable data for future missions. The mission's first study, published in the journal Science, found that a river flowed into a lake that filled Jezero Crater potentially millions of years ago. The mission has collected a number of samples for return to Earth, with the earliest return expected in the early 2030s.
1. NASA's Mars 2020 mission touched down on the red planet on February 18th.
2. The mission includes the Perseverance rover and the Ingenuity helicopter.
3. They have been exploring the Martian terrain and sending back previously unseen images and videos.
4. The Perseverance mission has had a string of firsts, including the first sounds from Mars.
5. The mission also tested a new onboard navigation system that gives a rover on Mars greater independence.
6. Jennifer Trosper is NASA's Perseverance project manager, having worked on the mission for the past seven years.
7. The mission includes two technology demonstrations: an instrument called Moxie that uses the carbon dioxide atmosphere to produce oxygen, and the successful demonstration of flying helicopters on Mars.
8. The mission is searching for signs of ancient life on Mars.
9. The mission began collecting rock horse samples in mid-August.
10. NASA is planning to retrieve the samples with another spacecraft, expected to launch from Earth in 2026 and arrive at Mars in 2028.
11. The mission faces a significant challenge in bringing the samples home, requiring will, funding, and engineering expertise.
12. In April, the Ingenuity helicopter became the first craft to fly in the atmosphere of another planet.
13. The helicopter has now flown 18 times, testing its ability to move horizontally and cover longer distances in each subsequent flight.
14. NASA selected Jezero Crater as the landing site for the Perseverance rover because it gives the rover access to a large stack of rocks at the end of a dry river valley.
15. Scientists theorized that these rocks are made of sediment deposited by an ancient river that flowed into a lake roughly 3.5 billion years ago.
16. On October 7th, NASA scientists published the mission's first study based on images, finding that for potentially millions of years, a river flowed into a lake that filled Jezreel Crater.
17. The mission has collected a set of samples, including four core samples, that is very good for the lower crater area.
18. The mission plans to collect more than 30 samples to return to Earth in the early 2030s.
19. In December, NASA scientists confirmed that the Martian bedrock on which the Perseverance rover has been driving since February likely formed from red hot magma, a big surprise to the team.