NASA Mars Rover Just 100 Days Away From Landing, Will Search For Life On Red Planet

[Judi Lynn]

By Alexis Ty
11/11/20 AT 2:33 AM

NASA has shared some pretty exciting news about its Mars 2020 Perseverance rover mission, revealing that it will be touching down on the red planet in about 100 days.

The space agency said in a statement published Wednesday that the rover is only 166 million miles (268 million kilometers) away from Mars' Jezero Crater — the mission's target site that is believed to have been home to a lake billions of years ago.

The Perseverance rover is expected to land on the red planet on Feb. 18, 2021, at 3:43 p.m. EST (12:43 p.m. PST). NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) will receive confirmation that it has touched down around 11 and a half minutes later.

As it explores the crater, the six-wheeled Mars car will search for signs of ancient microbial life, collect Martian rock and regolith and help pave the way for human exploration on the red planet. Perseverance will also be characterizing Mars' geology and past climate.

More:
https://www.ibtimes.com/nasa-mars-rover-just-100-days-away-landing-will-search-life-red-planet-3080248

[Bayard]

1. Very exciting!

[hibbing]

2. That's not far away at all

I'll have to plan a day around that, I'm sure I'll still be working at home.

Peace

[electric_blue68]

3. I was thinking about this a few days ago...

exciting. Not so far away.