The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) took an important step for exploration in February of last year. This step came with the successful landing of the Perseverance rover and the Ingenuity helicopter on Mars. As part of the Mars Exploration Program, he collected rock and sediment samples on the Red Planet. In this way, the traveler aims to search for signs of ancient microscopic life. Finally, Perseverance searches for important keys to life on Mars.
Perseverance succeeded in reaching the river delta
In April Perseverance took the first soil sample in the delta of an ancient river near Jezero crater. More than fifteen months after landing in this crater, NASA’s Perseverance rover began its search for ancient life.
In the last 15 months, the rover has traveled several kilometers to the bottom of the crater. However, the crater turned out to be covered with volcanic rocks, which allowed it to be dated by isotopic composition. Finally, the traveler reached the river delta that was filled with water billions of years ago and flowed into a depression.
However, the delta river consists of sedimentary rocks deposited by the river in its part. Such places are teeming with life on Earth. So here scientists hope to find substances that, if not the remains of organisms, could not have formed without their participation.
The delta is located approximately 40 meters above the crest floor. Perseverance took a sample of the bottom rock layer. It will then go out into the delta, assessing where it would be better to take samples. However, it is necessary to wait for a while for the results.
Mars Sample Return mission is scheduled to launch in the late 2020s. The traveler collects and preserves samples for this as well. These samples are expected to arrive in Earth laboratories before 2031.
Well, what do you think about this issue? What do you think will come out of the examples? Don’t forget to share your views with us in the comments!
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