Mars 2020 Perseverance Stories

NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Team Says Goodbye … for Now

6 min read

The final downlink shift by the Ingenuity team was a time to reflect on a highly successful mission — and to prepare the first aircraft on another world for its new role. Engineers working on NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter assembled…

Article2 days ago
The partially illuminated core is visible in this image of Perseverance’s coring bit. The diameter of the core is 1.3 cm.

Comet Geyser: Perseverance’s 21st Rock Core

3 min read

After investigating the high-standing bedrock at the Bunsen Peak workspace deep within the Margin Unit, the unique nature and composition of this rock was deemed worthy for collection of Perseverance’s 21th rock core sample, Comet Geyser! Bunsen Peak is named…

Article2 days ago

Rock Sampled by NASA’s Perseverance Embodies Why Rover Came to Mars

6 min read

The 24th sample taken by the six-wheeled scientist offers new clues about Jezero Crater and the lake it may have once held. Analysis by instruments aboard NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover indicate that the latest rock core taken by the rover…

Article2 weeks ago
NASA's Mars Perseverance rover acquired this image using its onboard Left Navigation Camera (Navcam). The camera is located high on the rover's mast and aids in driving.

Perseverance Pays off When Studying the Martian Atmosphere

3 min read

Studying the atmosphere with Perseverance can be challenging! Imagine spotting an interesting cloud in a photo taken yesterday; unlike something interesting on the surface, more observations just aren’t possible, as it’s long gone by now.

Article1 month ago

Throwback to the Little ‘Mushroom’

2 min read

Perseverance found my favourite rock on the mission so far: a flat piece with a mushroom-shaped rock feature sticking out of it!

Article1 month ago
NASA's Mars Perseverance rover acquired this image of the area in front of it using its onboard Front Left Hazard Avoidance Camera A.

Bunsen Peak Piques Interest

2 min read

Perseverance has continued its traverse west through the Margin unit. As the rover drives, images and data are obtained using instruments such as Mastcam-Z, Navcam, and SuperCam to track any changes in the chemistry or appearance of the rocks.

Article2 months ago
NASA's Mars Perseverance rover acquired this image using its onboard Left Navigation Camera (Navcam). The camera is located high on the rover's mast and aids in driving.

Beehive Geyser Beckons

2 min read

Perseverance continues its uphill march through the tricky terrain of the margin unit, an area with enhanced signals of carbonate.

Article2 months ago

Team Assessing SHERLOC Instrument on NASA’s Perseverance Rover

5 min read

UPDATE, Mar. 5, 2024: Engineers for NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover have made progress addressing the issue affecting the SHERLOC instrument’s Autofocus Context Imager (ACI), but at present the instrument’s Raman spectroscopic capability remains offline. To better understand the issue with the…

Article2 months ago

Farewell to Our Flying Friend and Closing in on the Crater Rim

2 min read

After 72 flights and 17 kilometers flown, it is finally time for us to say goodbye to the Ingenuity helicopter.

Article2 months ago
Mastcam-Z image showing bright, light-toned outcrops near the Jezero Crater Rim (upper center) approximately 4 km away, with darker toned boulders in foreground (center).

Bright Rocks on the Horizon: An Exciting Glimpse of Uncharted Territory

2 min read

Perseverance is deep within the ongoing Margin Unit campaign, where orbital signatures of carbonate minerals appear strongest.

Article3 months ago