Mars 2020: Perseverance Rover News & Features
NASA’s Perseverance Captures ‘Googly Eye’ During Solar Eclipse
The tiny, potato-shaped moon Phobos, one of two Martian moons, cast a silhouette as it passed in front of the Sun, creating an eye in Mars’ sky. From its perch on the western wall of Mars’ Jezero Crater, NASA’s Perseverance…
NASA’s Perseverance Rover Looks Back While Climbing Slippery Slope
On its way up the side of Jezero Crater, the agency’s latest Red Planet off-roader peers all the way back to its landing site and scopes the path ahead. NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover is negotiating a steeply sloping route…
NASA’s Perseverance Rover to Begin Long Climb Up Martian Crater Rim
Editor’s note: This story was updated Aug. 16, 2024, to correct the length of time that NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover has been exploring Jezero Crater. After 3½ years exploring Jezero Crater’s floor and river delta, the rover will ascend to an…
NASA’s Perseverance Rover Scientists Find Intriguing Mars Rock
The six-wheeled geologist found a fascinating rock that has some indications it may have hosted microbial life billions of years ago, but further research is needed. A vein-filled rock is catching the eye of the science team of NASA’s Perseverance…
UPDATED: 10 Things for Mars 10
Scientists from around the world are gathering this week in California to take stock of the state of science from Mars and discuss goals for the next steps in exploration of the Red Planet. In the spirit of Mars 10,…
Here’s How AI Is Changing NASA’s Mars Rover Science
Artificial intelligence is helping scientists to identify minerals within rocks studied by the Perseverance rover. Some scientists dream of exploring planets with “smart” spacecraft that know exactly what data to look for, where to find it, and how to analyze…
Mapping the Red Planet with the Power of Open Science
Mars rovers can only make exciting new discoveries thanks to human scientists making careful decisions about their next stop. The Mars 2020 mission is aimed at exploring the geology of Jezero Crater and seeking signs of ancient microbial life on…
Detective Work Enables Perseverance Team to Revive SHERLOC Instrument
After six months of effort, an instrument that helps the Mars rover look for potential signs of ancient microbial life has come back online. The SHERLOC (Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals) instrument aboard NASA’s…
Why Scientists Are Intrigued by Air in NASA’s Mars Sample Tubes
Tucked away with each rock and soil sample collected by the agency’s Perseverance rover is a potential boon for atmospheric scientists. Atmospheric scientists get a little more excited with every rock core NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover seals in its titanium…
NASA’s Perseverance Fords an Ancient River to Reach Science Target
Originally thought of as little more than a route clear of rover-slowing boulders, Neretva Vallis has provided a bounty of geologic options for the science team. After detouring through a dune field to avoid wheel-rattling boulders, NASA’s Perseverance Mars…