Mars 2020 Rover Landing

Mars 2020 Rover Landing

The NASA Perseverance rover is expected to land on Mars this Thursday, February 18, around 12:55 p.m. PST.  The Mars 2020 Rover main mission is to seek possible signs of ancient life on Mars while collecting rock and soil samples to bring back to Earth for future study.

Watch the Landing of Nasa’s Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover live on the OC Astronomy Website below

• Mission Name: Mars 2020
• Rover Name: Perseverance
• Main Job: Seek signs of ancient life and collect samples of rock and regolith (broken rock and soil) for a possible return to Earth.
• Launch: July 30, 2020
• Landing: Feb. 18, 2021
• Landing Site: Jezero Crater, Mars
• Tech Demo: The Mars Helicopter is a technology demonstration, hitching a ride on the Perseverance rover.
• Fact Sheet 

(Switch to fullscreen)

Objectives of the Mars 2020 Mission

• Explore a geologically diverse landing site
• Assess ancient habitability
• Seek signs of ancient life, particularly in special
  rocks known to preserve signs of life over time
•  Gather rock and soil samples that could be
  returned to Earth by a future NASA mission
• Demonstrate technology for future robotic and
  human exploration

Be sure to check the Star Blog later in the year for more information about the findings of the Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover