NASA’s new Mars rover, Perseverance, has brought new discoveries that may revolutionalize the existence of life on Mars. Perseverance was launched on July 2020 and it landed on February 2021; the main goal of the rover is to explore for evidence of microbial life, to gather samples of rocks and soil, and to plan for human exploration. New discoveries made by the rover in the Jezero Crater indicate that the planet Mars may have once supported life.
Exploration of Jezero Crater
Perseverance rover was landed at Jezero Crater which is a 28-mile-wide impact crater because of its geologic interest and past. The scientists think that the crater once held a lake and a river delta, thus it is a good place to look for traces of life. The rover has been very carefully examining the rock structures and the layers of the sediment in the crater and has found signs of water and organic materials.
Key Discoveries
Among the most interesting findings made by Perseverance, it is possible to mention the detection of organic compounds in the Martian soil and rocks. These organic molecules that are the foundation of life were identified by the rover’s instruments, namely the Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics & Chemicals (SHERLOC) and the SuperCam. These molecules do provoke a lot of questions about the possibility of life on Mars in its earlier stage when it had water on its surface.
Also, Perseverance has obtained rock samples that will be brought back to earth in future missions. These samples are expected to give more information on the history of the planet and life on the planet. The rover can use its mechanical arm to drill into the surface of the planet and collect samples of the soil and store them in sealed tubes which is important in the search for life on the planet Mars.
The Search for Biosignatures
NASA scientists are especially keen on detecting biosignatures, or signs of previous life. Perseverance is fitted with the latest tools and gadgets that are capable of identifying these biosignatures. The rover’s instruments examine the chemistry of rocks and soil for signs of trends that may indicate life. This careful search is critical in the search for possible past microbial life on the planet Mars.
Collaboration and Future Missions
The following stages of Mars exploration include the sample return mission which is a plan to bring the samples collected back to the earth for analysis. This grand plan will assist in providing solutions to some of the world’s most important questions on the history of the planet and its capability of sustaining life.
Conclusion
NASA’s Perseverance rover is the current leading vehicle in the quest for life on the red planet, Mars. Its discoveries in Jezero Crater, especially the detection of organic compounds and the acquisition of rock samples, are considered as major achievements in the study of Mars. While the data is being studied and future missions are being planned, the possibility of discovering more about Mars and its past life is still very much a possibility. The ongoing efforts not only help in the exploration of Mars but also aid in the search for life beyond the planet Earth.