The Perseverance rover which has been exploring the Martian surface has marked three years on the enigmatic planet. Mars has been a top contender in the quest for extraterrestrial life.
The rover touched down on Mars on February 19, 2021, following its departure from Earth on July 30, 2020.
The rover landed in the Jezero Crater, an area of Mars where the ancient conditions might have supported microbial life. This SUV-sized vehicle is investigating Martian rocks for signs of previous life, with Jezero Crater being the site of an ancient lake that once existed on the Red Planet.
To date, the rover has gathered 23 samples, exceeded 1,000 sols, and traversed over 24.8 kilometers across the challenging terrain of the Jezero Crater. “There’s still so much more to uncover – and I’m eager to continue the journey,” expressed the rover in a recent update.
During its three-year tenure on Mars, the rover has established a network of depots on the Red Planet, depositing sample cores encased in titanium tubes. These tubes will be retrieved later by the sample return mission jointly developed by NASA and the European Space Agency.
Two scientific instruments affixed to the rover’s robotic arm are employed to hunt for indications of ancient life and identify optimal sampling locations through the analysis of the chemical, mineral, physical, and organic attributes of Martian rocks.
These samples will constitute the initial batch of rocks and soil to be transported to Earth from another planet for comprehensive analysis.
Assisted by its computer pilot, AutoNav, the six-wheeled geologist on Mars has been setting unprecedented records. Recently, the rover navigated through a complex array of large rocks using the AutoNav software, completing the task in roughly a third of the usual time.
The self-driving system not only charts out the rover’s overall routes but also handles intricate navigation details, leading to a substantial reduction in driving time between areas of scientific importance.
The rover, which arrived on Mars alongside the Ingenuity helicopter, now faces operating solo. The helicopter was grounded in January following the loss of one of its blades during its 72nd flight. Previously, the quadcopter had supported the rover by assisting in area reconnaissance and strategic planning.
Entering its fourth year of operation, the rover remains steadfast in its quest to uncover evidence of ancient microbial life while NASA prepares its mission to retrieve the inaugural samples from the Red Planet.