Perseverance Mars Rover @NASAPersevere@mastodont.cat

Layer upon layer of rock, like pages in a Martian history book, waiting to be read. The right samples from this area could give us insights like we’ve never seen. I’m getting out my coring drill.

Latest images:
http://go.nasa.gov/perseverance-raw-images

Twenty-five years ago today, a true pioneer touched down. Sojourner proved we could drive on Mars; each rover since has done true overland exploration. I’m the fifth in this line, collecting samples that could one day return to Earth and rewrite history. Onward.

The rocks here at the ancient river delta are amazing, but so far none has been perfect for #SamplingMars. Some too fragile, some too jagged, but I’m sure I’ll find the right one soon – I’m not called Perseverance for nothing.

Latest team blog:
http://go.nasa.gov/3Nt1b6L

Good to have friends at #HillAFB! Models of me and the Ingenuity #MarsHelicopter are getting ready for a special #MarsRoverTour stop at this weekend’s Utah Air Show. Catch us Saturday and Sunday at “STEM City” and meet members of my mission team.

I mean, take a look at some of these close-ups. Tons of potential targets for study. Paradise for rock nerds like myself.

From earlier, distant views, my team nicknamed this area “the bacon strip.” (My overhead map shows why.) Now that I’m up on top, we’re calling it “Hogwallow Flats” – and the nearby rocks are a sight to behold. My team is happy as pigs in mud(stone)!

Map:
http://go.nasa.gov/3sZ16NO

Here’s part of the team at JPL that wrapped me up in thermal blankets. Think of them as spacecraft dressmakers. They work with sewing machines and other tools to piece together these unique materials.

More on that here:
http://go.nasa.gov/3MVP6GW

That shiny bit of foil is part of a thermal blanket – a material used to control temperatures. It’s a surprise finding this here: My descent stage crashed about 2 km away. Did this piece land here after that, or was it blown here by the wind?

My team has spotted something unexpected: It’s a piece of a thermal blanket that they think may have come from my descent stage, the rocket-powered jet pack that set me down on landing day back in 2021.

The map and link below give a good sense of where I am now (“Seitah-N”) and where I’m headed, long term.

https://nitter.net/NASAPersevere/status/1403400394491895830

I’ve made it to my next lookout, overlooking a spot we’re calling “Séítah.” It’s an area of dunes with some good science targets in and around it. I’ll spy a few from here, doing science from afar, then circle around and keep exploring.

My location:
http://go.nasa.gov/3sZ16NO

If there’s one thing I love almost as much as rocks, it’s photography. In 128 days on Mars, I’ve sent back over 100K photos, thanks to the orbiters overhead relaying my data to Earth.

📷 All images:
http://go.nasa.gov/2L6tFta

Do you have a favorite image of Mars? Here’s one favorite among my team. A geology gold mine of rock layers with lots of signs that water was once here. Details:
http://go.nasa.gov/35HCobK

Winds like this have swept dust across this plain for millions of years. You and I are the first to see it up close. Mars may be cold and dry, but it’s also quite active in its own ways.

All my latest images:
http://go.nasa.gov/perseverance-raw-images

The #MarsHelicopter is set to make its eighth flight, as it hops southward alongside me. Just a reminder that you’re living in the future.

Check out our progress:
Interactive map -
http://go.nasa.gov/3sZ16NO

Passed this boulder and took a closer look. Some of my team see similarities to volcanic rocks on Earth. Interesting stuff, but I’m on to more sedimentary types, where rock layers could better preserve any potential signs of ancient life. 🔍

More:
https://go.nasa.gov/309utlI

Mapping out a path in my search for signs of ancient life: after my first campaign to the south, the long term plan takes me back up north to study the nearby delta, where a river once emptied into this ancient lakebed. Lots to explore here.

http://go.nasa.gov/3gjClb3

Zapping rocks is one of my special skills. If you’ve ever wondered what that big, unblinking eye on the top of my head is, let one of my science team members fill you in on SuperCam:
https://nitter.net/NASAJPL/status/1403042847830384644

Please enjoy the sights and sounds of the crater. Here was my view from Van Zyl Overlook before starting the science campaign. Zoom in on features at the interactive panorama at
http://go.nasa.gov/3zek1IP

It’s time to start my search for ancient microbial life. I’m heading south to survey some of the oldest geologic features of Jezero Crater. My team will then work to bring my auto-navigation and sample systems online before I start collecting rock cores.
http://go.nasa.gov/3gjClb3