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Mars 2020 (Perseverance) - Space Mission
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Mars 2020 (Perseverance)

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description Mars 2020 (Perseverance) Overview

Mars 2020 is an ongoing NASA space mission that successfully landed the Perseverance rover in Mars's Jezero Crater in February 2021. The rover's primary objectives include searching for signs of ancient microbial life, collecting rock and soil samples for future return to Earth, and characterizing the planet's geology. Attached to the rover during launch was the Ingenuity helicopter, which conducted the first powered, controlled flight on another planet. The mission provides operational data for future human exploration of Mars.

insights Ranking position

Mars 2020 (Perseverance) ranks #2 of 270 in the Space Mission ranking, behind Mars Science Laboratory (Curiosity), ahead of OSIRIS-REx (Bennu Sample Return).

help Mars 2020 (Perseverance) FAQ

When did NASA's Perseverance rover land on Mars?

Perseverance landed on Mars on February 18, 2021, in Jezero Crater, an ancient lakebed chosen for its potential to preserve signs of past microbial life. The landing used the same 'sky crane' system previously employed by the Curiosity rover in 2012.

What is the Ingenuity helicopter on Mars 2020?

Ingenuity is a small solar-powered drone helicopter that traveled to Mars attached to the underside of Perseverance. It performed the first powered, controlled flight on another planet on April 19, 2021, and flew dozens of additional missions before its rotors were damaged in January 2024.

Where on Mars did Perseverance land?

Perseverance landed in Jezero Crater, a roughly 45-kilometer-wide impact crater north of the Martian equator. Scientists chose the site because orbital imagery showed what appeared to be an ancient river delta, an ideal environment for preserving biosignatures.

Is Perseverance related to Curiosity?

Yes, Perseverance was built using many of the same spare parts and design as Curiosity, the rover that landed on Mars in 2012 at Gale Crater. Perseverance is more capable, however, and carries different instruments optimized for astrobiology and sample caching.

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