Mars Perseverance, one year in.
NASA/JPL-Caltech
Tracking NASA's Mars Perseverance rover, a year in
In July of 2020, NASA launched its Perseverance rover on a bold mission to Mars.
Since it landed inside the 28-mile-wide (45 kilometer) Jezero Crater in February, Perseverance has accomplished more than any other Mars rover. It's collected rock samples for a future return to Earth; deployed a miniature helicopter, the first ever rotorcraft to fly on another planet; and converted carbon dioxide to oxygen -- to name a few achievements.
The rover is one of three unmanned spacecraft from three different countries that set off for Mars in July 2020, along with the United Arab Emirates' Hope Probe and China's Tianwen-1 rocket. All three took advantage of an opportune launch window when objects launched from Earth would have a shorter, more efficient path to Mars because of the planets' alignment.
Perseverance's main goal is to seek signs of ancient life, particularly in certain rocks known to preserve signs of life over time. Scientists think a network of rivers probably fed into Jezero Crater, making it a prime place for life to have evolved on Mars.