NASA's Perseverance rover to land on Mars, study signs of ancient microbial life on the red planet

NASA has confirmed that the rover, which was launched this summer, will touch down in Jezero Crater, an ancient delta on the Martian surface, at around 2:25 am IST on Friday. A key objective of the mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life, said NASA.

New Delhi: NASA's Perseverance rover is set to land on the surface of planet Mars on Friday (February 19), according to Indian time. It is being said to be the most ambitious Mars rover mission yet undertaken by the space agency.

NASA has confirmed that the rover, which was launched this summer, will touch down in Jezero Crater, an ancient delta on the Martian surface, at around 2:25 am IST on Friday.

The rover will conduct a number of investigations on the Martian terrain. Perseverance is also carrying an instrument called MOXIE (Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment), which can produce oxygen on the planet.

NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover is arguably humanity's most ambitious project yet. It will reach Mars on the 18th of February. @MollyGambhir tells you more@NASA pic.twitter.com/sV8dKtvurc — WION (@WIONews) February 15, 2021

“Perseverance is NASA’s most ambitious Mars rover mission yet, focused scientifically on finding out whether there was ever any life on Mars in the past,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

A key objective of the mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life, said NASA.

It will be the first mission to collect Martian rock and sediment for later return to Earth.