:Mars 2020

The Mars 2020 mission was announced by NASA on December 4, 2012, at the fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco. The selection of Mars as the target of NASA's flagship mission elicited surprise from some members of the scientific community. Some criticized NASA for continuing to focus on Mars exploration instead of other Solar System destinations in constrained budget times.{{Cite news |last=Matson |first=John |date=21 February 2013 |title=Has NASA Become Mars-Obsessed? |url=http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=has-nasa-become-mars-obsessed |access-date=8 December 2013 |work=Scientific American}}{{Cite news |last=Reilly |first=Doug |date=6 December 2012 |title=NASA Announces New Mars Rover: De ja vu, all over again... |url=http://bicycleastronomy.org/2012/12/06/nasa-announces-new-mars-rover-de-ja-vu-all-over-again/ |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131211103956/http://bicycleastronomy.org/2012/12/06/nasa-announces-new-mars-rover-de-ja-vu-all-over-again/ |archive-date=December 11, 2013 |access-date=8 December 2013 |work=bicycleastronomy.org}} Support came from California U.S. Representative Adam Schiff, who said he was interested in the possibility of advancing the launch date, which would enable a larger payload. Science educator Bill Nye endorsed the Mars sample-return role, saying this would be "extraordinarily fantastic and world-changing and worthy."{{Cite news |last=Rosie Mestel |date=6 December 2012 |title=Bill Nye, the (planetary) science guy, on NASA's future |url=http://www.latimes.com/news/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-bill-nye-planetary-society-future-of-nasa-20121206,0,5639745.story?track=rss |access-date=3 July 2013 |work=Los Angeles Times}}

File:PIA23919-MarsPerseveranceRover-SampleTubes-20200520.jpg

The mission is aimed at seeking signs of habitable conditions on Mars in the ancient past, and also at searching for evidence—or biosignatures—of past microbial life, and water. The mission was launched July 30, 2020, on an Atlas V-541, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the mission. The mission is part of NASA's Mars Exploration Program.{{Cite web |date=2015 |title=Program And Missions – 2020 Mission Plans |url=http://mars.nasa.gov/programmissions/missions/future/mars2020/ |publisher=NASA}} {{PD-notice}}{{Cite magazine |last=Mann |first=Adam |date=4 December 2012 |title=NASA Announces New Twin Rover for Curiosity Launching to Mars in 2020 |url=https://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/12/curiosity-rover-twin/ |access-date=5 December 2012 |magazine=Wired}}{{Cite news |last=Leone |first=Dan |date=3 October 2012 |title=Mars Planning Group Endorses Sample Return |url=http://www.spacenews.com/article/mars-planning-group-endorses-sample-return |publisher=SpaceNews}}{{Cite web |date=25 September 2012 |title=Summary of the Final Report |url=https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/691580main_MPPG-Integrated-v13i-Summary%20Report-9-25-12.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803181816/https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/691580main_MPPG-Integrated-v13i-Summary%20Report-9-25-12.pdf |archive-date=August 3, 2020 |access-date=December 13, 2017 |publisher=NASA{{\}}Mars Program Planning Group}} {{PD-notice}} The Science Definition Team proposed that the rover collect and package as many as 31 samples of rock cores and surface soil for a later mission to bring back for definitive analysis on Earth.{{Cite web |last=Greicius |first=Tony |date=2015-03-02 |title=Science Team Outlines Goals for NASA's 2020 Mars Rover |url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mars/news/mars20130709.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413194921/https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mars/news/mars20130709.html |archive-date=April 13, 2021 |access-date=2021-02-19 |publisher=NASA}} {{PD-notice}} In 2015, they expanded the concept, planning to collect even more samples and distribute the tubes in small piles or caches across the surface of Mars.{{Cite web |last=Davis |first=Jason |date=28 August 2017 |title=NASA considers kicking Mars sample return into high gear |url=http://www.planetary.org/blogs/jason-davis/2017/20170828-mars-2020-sample-return.html |publisher=The Planetary Society}}

In September 2013, NASA launched an Announcement of Opportunity for researchers to propose and develop the instruments needed, including the Sample Caching System.{{Cite web |date=24 September 2013 |title=Announcement of Opportunity: Mars 2020 Investigations |url=http://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/viewrepositorydocument/cmdocumentid=387051/solicitationId=%7BC49E4810-6DE9-9509-E896-EBC006101A9E%7D/viewSolicitationDocument=1/Mars%202020%20AO%20amend3.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090105231056/http://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/viewrepositorydocument |archive-date=January 5, 2009 |access-date=18 May 2014 |publisher=NASA}} {{PD-notice}}{{Cite web |date=2013 |title=Mars 2020 Mission: Instruments |url=http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mars2020/mission/instruments/ |access-date=18 May 2014 |publisher=NASA}} {{PD-notice}} The science instruments for the mission were selected in July 2014 after an open competition based on the scientific objectives set one year earlier.{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Dwayne |date=31 July 2014 |title=Release 14-208 – NASA Announces Mars 2020 Rover Payload to Explore the Red Planet as Never Before |url=http://www.nasa.gov/press/2014/july/nasa-announces-mars-2020-rover-payload-to-explore-the-red-planet-as-never-before/ |access-date=31 July 2014 |publisher=NASA}} {{PD-notice}}{{Cite web |title=Objectives – 2020 Mission Plans |url=http://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/mission/science/objectives/ |access-date=4 December 2015 |website=mars.nasa.gov}} {{PD-notice}} The science conducted by the rover's instruments will provide the context needed for detailed analyses of the returned samples.{{Cite news |date=9 July 2013 |title=Science Team Outlines Goals for NASA's 2020 Mars Rover |url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-217 |access-date=10 July 2013 |work=Jet Propulsion Laboratory |publisher=NASA}} {{PD-notice}} The chairman of the Science Definition Team stated that NASA does not presume that life ever existed on Mars, but given the recent Curiosity rover findings, past Martian life seems possible.

The Perseverance rover will explore a site likely to have been habitable. It will seek signs of past life, set aside a returnable cache with the most compelling rock core and soil samples, and demonstrate the technology needed for the future human and robotic exploration of Mars. A key mission requirement is that it must help prepare NASA for its long-term Mars sample-return mission and crewed mission efforts.{{Cite news |last=Moskowitz |first=Clara |date=5 February 2013 |title=Scientists Offer Wary Support for NASA's New Mars Rover |url=http://www.space.com/19606-mars-rover-2020-planetary-science.html |access-date=5 February 2013 |publisher=Space.com}} The rover will make measurements and technology demonstrations to help designers of a future human expedition understand any hazards posed by Martian dust, and will test technology to produce a small amount of pure oxygen ({{chem2|O2}}) from Martian atmospheric carbon dioxide ({{CO2|link=yes}}).{{Cite news |last=Klotz |first=Irene |date=21 November 2013 |title=Mars 2020 Rover To Include Test Device To Tap Planet's Atmosphere for Oxygen |url=https://spacenews.com/38288mars-2020-rover-to-include-test-device-to-tap-planets-atmosphere-for/ |access-date=29 December 2019 |publisher=SpaceNews}}

Improved precision landing technology that enhances the scientific value of robotic missions also will be critical for eventual human exploration on the surface.{{Cite news |last=Bergin |first=Chris |date=2 September 2014 |title=Curiosity EDL data to provide 2020 Mars Rover with super landing skills |url=http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2014/09/curiosity-edl-provide-2020-rover-super-landing-skills/ |publisher=NASASpaceFlight.com}} Based on input from the Science Definition Team, NASA defined the final objectives for the 2020 rover. Those became the basis for soliciting proposals to provide instruments for the rover's science payload in the spring of 2014. The mission will also attempt to identify subsurface water, improve landing techniques, and characterize weather, dust, and other potential environmental conditions that could affect future astronauts living and working on Mars.{{Cite web |title=Mars 2020 Rover – Overview |url=https://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mars2020/mission/overview/ |access-date=6 July 2018 |publisher=NASA/JPL}} {{PD-notice}}

File:Locations and future destinations of Perseverance in Jezero.jpg

File:PIA23590 hires.jpg

A key mission requirement for this rover is that it must help prepare NASA for its Mars sample-return mission (MSR) campaign,{{Cite web |last=Evans |first=Kim |date=13 October 2015 |title=NASA Eyes Sample-Return Capability for Post-2020 Mars Orbiter |url=http://www.dmns.org/museum-blog/Post/?nid=23546 |access-date=10 November 2015 |publisher=Denver Museum of Nature and Science}}{{Cite web |last=Mattingly |first=Richard |date=March 2010 |title=Mission Concept Study: Planetary Science Decadal Survey – MSR Orbiter Mission (Including Mars Returned Sample Handling) |url=https://sites.nationalacademies.org/cs/groups/ssbsite/documents/webpage/ssb_059308.pdf |publisher=NASA}} {{PD-notice}} which is needed before any crewed mission takes place. Such effort would require three additional vehicles: an orbiter, a fetch rover, and a two-stage, solid-fueled Mars ascent vehicle (MAV).{{Cite book |last1=Ross |first1=D. |title=2012 IEEE Aerospace Conference |last2=Russell |first2=J. |last3=Sutter |first3=B. |date=March 2012 |isbn=978-1-4577-0557-1 |pages=1–6 |chapter=Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV): Designing for high heritage and low risk |doi=10.1109/AERO.2012.6187296 |s2cid=21266048}}{{Cite web |last1=Prince |first1=Andrew |last2=McCauley |first2=Rachel |last3=Kibbey |first3=Timothy |last4=McCollum |first4=Lisa |last5=Oglesby |first5=Britt |last6=Stenfanski |first6=Philip |date=March 2019 |title=Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) |url=https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20190002134.pdf}} {{PD-notice}} Between 20 and 30 drilled samples will be collected and cached inside small tubes by the Perseverance rover,[https://www.space.com/mars-2020-rover-alien-life-hunt.html How NASA's Next Mars Rover Will Hunt for Alien Life.] Mike Wall, Space.com, 11 December 2019 and will be left on the surface of Mars for possible later retrieval by NASA in collaboration with ESA. A "fetch rover" would retrieve the sample caches and deliver them to a two-stage, solid-fueled Mars ascent vehicle (MAV). In July 2018, NASA contracted Airbus to produce a "fetch rover" concept study.{{Cite news |last=Amos |first=Jonathan |date=6 July 2018 |title=Fetch rover! Robot to retrieve Mars rocks |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-44728947 |access-date=9 July 2018 |publisher=BBC News}} The MAV would launch from Mars and enter a 500 km orbit and rendezvous with the Next Mars Orbiter or Earth Return Orbiter. The sample container would be transferred to an Earth entry vehicle (EEV) which would bring it to Earth, enter the atmosphere under a parachute and hard-land for retrieval and analyses in specially designed safe laboratories.

In the first science campaign Perseverance performs an arching drive southward from its landing site to the Séítah unit to perform a "toe dip" into the unit to collect remote-sensing measurements of geologic targets. After that she will return to the Crater Floor Fractured Rough to collect the first core sample there. Passing by the Octavia B. Butler landing site concludes the first science campaign.

The second campaign shall start with several months of travel towards the "Three Forks" where Perseverance can access geologic locations at the base of the ancient delta of Neretva river, as well as ascend the delta by driving up a valley wall to the northwest.{{Cite web |title=Perseverance's First Road Trip |url=https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/beta/catalog/PIA24596}}

{{excerpt|Perseverance (rover)|Results}}

File:Animation of Mars 2020's trajectory around Sun.gif

The three major components of the Mars 2020 spacecraft are the {{cvt|539|kg|adj=on}}{{Cite magazine |date=January 2021 |title=Fiche Technique: Mars 2020 Vaisseau Spatial |trans-title=Mars 2020 |url=http://www.espace-exploration.com/fr/anciensnumeros |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210116183330/http://www.espace-exploration.com/fr/anciensnumeros |archive-date=16 January 2021 |access-date=5 February 2021 |magazine=Espace & Exploration |pages=42–43 |language=fr |issue=61}} cruise stage for travel between Earth and Mars; the Entry, Descent, and Landing System (EDLS) that includes the {{cvt|575|kg}} aeroshell descent vehicle + {{cvt|440|kg}} heat shield; and the {{cvt|1070|kg}} (fueled mass) descent stage needed to deliver Perseverance and Ingenuity safely to the Martian surface. The Descent Stage carries {{cvt|400|kg}} landing propellant for the final soft landing burn after being slowed down by a {{cvt|21.5|m}}-wide, {{cvt|81|kg}} parachute. The {{cvt|1025|kg}} rover is based on the design of Curiosity.{{Cite news |last=Harwood |first=William |date=4 December 2012 |title=NASA announces plans for new US$1.5 billion Mars rover |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-57557184-76/nasa-announces-plans-for-new-$1.5-billion-mars-rover/ |access-date=5 December 2012 |work=CNET |quote=Using spare parts and mission plans developed for NASA's Curiosity Mars rover, the space agency says it can build and launch the rover in 2020 and stay within current budget guidelines.}} While there are differences in scientific instruments and the engineering required to support them, the entire landing system (including the descent stage and heat shield) and rover chassis could essentially be recreated without any additional engineering or research. This reduces overall technical risk for the mission, while saving funds and time on development.{{Cite web |last=Dreier |first=Casey |date=10 January 2013 |title=New Details on the 2020 Mars Rover |url=http://www.planetary.org/blogs/casey-dreier/2013/20130110-additional-mars-2020-rover-info.html |access-date=15 March 2013 |publisher=The Planetary Society}}

One of the upgrades is a guidance and control technique called "Terrain Relative Navigation" (TRN) to fine-tune steering in the final moments of landing.{{Cite news |last=Agle |first=D. C. |date=1 July 2019 |title=A Neil Armstrong for Mars: Landing the Mars 2020 Rover |url=https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=7442 |access-date=1 July 2019 |publisher=NASA}} {{PD-notice}}{{Cite web |date=July 2016 |title=Mars 2020 Rover: Entry, Descent, and Landing System |url=http://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/mission/timeline/entry-descent-landing/ |access-date=17 July 2016 |publisher=NASA}} {{PD-notice}} This system allowed for a landing inside {{convert|7.7|x|6.6|km|mi|abbr=on}}{{Cite web|last=Mehta|first=Jatan|date=February 17, 2021|title=How NASA Aims to Achieve Perseverance's High-Stakes Mars Landing|url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-nasa-aims-to-achieve-perseverances-high-stakes-mars-landing/|url-status=live|access-date=February 25, 2021|website=Scientific American|language=en|archive-date=February 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226100225/https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-nasa-aims-to-achieve-perseverances-high-stakes-mars-landing/}} wide ellipse with a positioning error within {{cvt|40|m}} and avoided obstacles.[https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/10/heres-an-example-of-the-crazy-lengths-nasa-goes-to-land-safely-on-mars/ Here's an example of the crazy lengths NASA goes to land safely on Mars.] Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 7 October 2019 This is a marked improvement from the Mars Science Laboratory mission that had an elliptical area of {{cvt|7|by|20|km}}.{{Cite web |date=11 June 2012 |title=NASA Mars Rover Team Aims for Landing Closer to Prime Science Site |url=https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/news/msl20120611.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210307162325/https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/news/msl20120611.html |archive-date=March 7, 2021 |access-date=28 January 2021}} In October 2016, NASA reported using the Xombie rocket to test the Lander Vision System (LVS), as part of the Autonomous Descent and Ascent Powered-flight Testbed (ADAPT) experimental technologies, for the Mars 2020 mission landing, meant to increase the landing accuracy and avoid obstacle hazards.{{Cite web |last1=Williams |first1=Leslie |last2=Webster |first2=Guy |last3=Anderson |first3=Gina |date=4 October 2016 |title=NASA Flight Program Tests Mars Lander Vision System |url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=6635 |access-date=5 October 2016 |publisher=NASA}} {{PD-notice}}{{Cite web |last=Murphy |first=Marshall |date=4 October 2016 |title=Fresh Eyes on Mars: Mars 2020 Lander Vision System Tested through NASA's Flight Opportunities Program |url=https://www.nasa.gov/centers/armstrong/features/fresh_eyes_on_mars.html |access-date=28 January 2021 |website=NASA}} {{PD-notice}}

{{Main|Perseverance (rover)}}

{{multiple image

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| caption1 = Perseverance rover at JPL

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| caption2 = Seven scientific instruments aboard Perseverance

| image3 = PIA23720-Mars2020-Helicopter-20200714 (cropped).jpg

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| caption4 = The cruise stage and EDLS carried both spacecraft to Mars.

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Perseverance was designed with help from Curiosity{{'s}} engineering team, as both are quite similar and share common hardware.{{Cite news |last=Wall |first=Mike |date=4 December 2012 |title=NASA to Launch New Mars Rover in 2020 |url=http://www.space.com/18763-nasa-new-mars-rover-2020.html |access-date=5 December 2012 |publisher=Space.com}} Engineers redesigned Perseverance{{'s}} wheels to be more robust than Curiosity{{'s}}, which, after kilometres of driving on the Martian surface, have shown progressed deterioration.{{Cite web |last=Lakdawalla |first=Emily |date=19 August 2014 |title=Curiosity wheel damage: The problem and solutions |url=http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2014/08190630-curiosity-wheel-damage.html |access-date=22 August 2014 |website=planetary.org/blogs |publisher=The Planetary Society}} Perseverance will have thicker, more durable aluminium wheels, with reduced width and a greater diameter, {{cvt|52.5|cm}}, than Curiosity{{'s}} {{cvt|50|cm|in|adj=on}} wheels.{{Cite web |last=Gebhardt |first=Chris |date=11 October 2016 |title=Mars 2020 rover receives upgraded eyesight for tricky skycrane landing |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2016/10/mars-2020-rover-eyesight-skycrane-landing/ |access-date=11 October 2016 |publisher=NASASpaceFlight}}{{Cite web |title=Mars 2020 – Body: New Wheels for Mars 2020 |url=https://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mars2020/mission/rover/body/ |access-date=6 July 2018 |publisher=NASA/JPL}} {{PD-notice}} The aluminium wheels are covered with cleats for traction and curved titanium spokes for springy support.{{Cite web |title=Mars 2020 Rover – Wheels |url=https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/mission/rover/wheels/ |access-date=9 July 2018 |publisher=NASA}} {{PD-notice}} The combination of the larger instrument suite, new Sampling and Caching System, and modified wheels makes Perseverance 14 percent heavier than Curiosity, at {{cvt|1025|kg}} and {{cvt|899|kg}}, respectively. The rover will include a five-jointed robotic arm measuring {{cvt|2.1|m}} long. The arm will be used in combination with a turret to analyze geologic samples from the Martian surface.{{Cite web |date=28 June 2019 |title=Mars 2020 Rover's 7-Foot-Long Robotic Arm Installed |url=https://mars.nasa.gov/news/8454/mars-2020-rovers-7-foot-long-robotic-arm-installed/ |access-date=1 July 2019 |website=mars.nasa.gov |quote=The main arm includes five electrical motors and five joints (known as the shoulder azimuth joint, shoulder elevation joint, elbow joint, wrist joint and turret joint). Measuring {{convert|7|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}} long, the arm will allow the rover to work as a human geologist would: by holding and using science tools with its turret, which is essentially its "hand".}} {{PD-notice}}

A Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG), left over as a backup part for Curiosity during its construction, was integrated onto the rover to supply electrical power.{{Cite news |last=Boyle |first=Alan |date=4 December 2012 |title=NASA plans 2020 Mars rover remake |url=http://cosmiclog.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/04/15678579-nasa-plans-2020-mars-rover-remake |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150227001036/http://cosmiclog.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/04/15678579-nasa-plans-2020-mars-rover-remake |archive-date=27 February 2015 |access-date=5 December 2012 |work=Cosmic Log |agency=NBC News}} The generator has a mass of {{cvt|45|kg}} and contains {{cvt|4.8|kg}} of plutonium dioxide as the source of steady supply of heat that is converted to electricity.{{Cite web |title=Mars 2020 Rover Tech Specs |url=https://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mars2020/mission/rover/electrical-power/ |access-date=6 July 2018 |publisher=JPL/NASA}} {{PD-notice}} The electrical power generated is approximately 110 watts at launch with little decrease over the mission time.

Two lithium-ion rechargeable batteries are included to meet peak demands of rover activities when the demand temporarily exceeds the MMRTG's steady electrical output levels. The MMRTG offers a 14-year operational lifetime, and it was provided to NASA by the United States Department of Energy. Unlike solar panels, the MMRTG does not rely on the presence of the Sun for power, providing engineers with significant flexibility in operating the rover's instruments even at night and during dust storms, and through the winter season.

The Norwegian-developed radar RIMFAX is one of the seven instruments that have been placed on board. The radar has been developed together with FFI (Norwegian Defence Research Establishment), led by Principal Investigator Svein-Erik Hamran of FFI, the Norwegian Space Center,{{Cite news |last=Romsenter |first=Norsk |title=Svein-Erik Hamran |url=https://www.romsenter.no/Media/Images/Industri-og-bedrifter/Svein-Erik-Hamran |access-date=2021-06-04 |website=Norsk Romsenter |language=no}} and a number of Norwegian companies. Space has also been found for the first time for an uncrewed helicopter, which will be controlled by NTNU (Norwegian University of Science and Technology) trained cybernetics engineer Håvard Fjær Grip and his team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Los Angeles.{{Cite news |last=Helland Urke |first=Eirik |date=18 February 2021 |title=Direkte: Mars Perseverance har landet! |url=https://www.tu.no/artikler/se-mars-landingen-direkte-torsdag-kveld-det-kribler-litt-i-magen-na/506950 |access-date=20 February 2021 |work=Teknisk Ukeblad |language=Norwegian}}

Each Mars mission contributes to an ongoing innovation chain. Each draws on prior operations or tested technologies and contributes uniquely to upcoming missions. By using this strategy, NASA is able to advance the frontiers of what is currently feasible while still depending on earlier advancements.{{cn|date=August 2024}}

The Curiosity rover, which touched down on Mars in 2012, is directly responsible for a large portion of Perseverance's rover design, including its entry, descent, and landing mechanism. With Perseverance, new technological innovations will be demonstrated, and entry, descent, and landing capabilities will be improved. These advancements will help open the door for future robotic and human missions to the Moon and Mars.{{cn|date=August 2024}}

File:Relic from the Wright brothers’ airplane attached to the Ingenuity helicopter.jpg airplane of the Wright brothers is attached under the solar panel of the Ingenuity helicopter.]]

{{Main|Ingenuity (helicopter)}}

Ingenuity is a defunct robotic coaxial helicopter that made the first aircraft flights on another planet.{{Cite web |date=January 2021 |title=Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Landing Press Kit |url=https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/press_kits/mars_2020/download/ingenuity_landing_press_kit.pdf |access-date=14 February 2021 |publisher=NASA}} {{PD-notice}}

It was deployed from the underside of Perseverance and uses autonomous control guided by flight plan instructions uploaded from mission control.[http://spacenews.com/decision-expected-soon-on-adding-helicopter-to-mars-2020/ Decision expected soon on adding helicopter to Mars 2020] Jeff Fout, SpaceNews, 4 May 2018

After each landing, it transmits photographs and other data to Perseverance, which relays the information to Earth. NASA will build on the helicopter's design for future Mars missions.[https://rotorcraft.arc.nasa.gov/Publications/files/Balaram_AIAA2018_0023.pdf Mars Helicopter Technology Demonstrator], J. (Bob) Balaram, Timothy Canham, Courtney Duncan, Matt Golombek, Håvard Fjær Grip, Wayne Johnson, Justin Maki, Amelia Quon, Ryan Stern, and David Zhu. American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), SciTech Forum Conference; 8–12 January 2018, Kissimmee, Florida {{doi|10.2514/6.2018-0023}} {{PD-notice}} The helicopter flew 72 times until its end of mission on January 25, 2024.{{Cite web |title=After Three Years on Mars, NASA's Ingenuity Helicopter Mission Ends - NASA |url=https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/after-three-years-on-mars-nasas-ingenuity-helicopter-mission-ends/ |access-date=2024-01-25 |language=en-US}} Its internal systems have been functioning well despite the accident, and Ingenuity now functions as a weather station on its last landing site.{{Cite web |last=Foust |first=Jeff |date=2024-12-12 |title=JPL completes investigation of Ingenuity’s final flight |url=https://spacenews.com/jpl-completes-investigation-of-ingenuitys-final-flight/ |access-date=2024-12-13 |website=SpaceNews |language=en-US}}

{{see also|Water on Mars|Life on Mars}}

File:260184-JezeroCrater-Delta-Full.jpg delta on Mars, where the Perseverance rover and Ingenuity helicopter landed. Clays are visible as green in this false color CRISM / CTX image.]]

File:Jezero Crater Formation by asteroid impact.webm

The mission is centered around exploring Jezero crater, which scientists speculate was a {{cvt|250|m}} deep lake about 3.9 billion to 3.5 billion years ago.{{Cite news |last=Chang |first=Kenneth |date=19 November 2018 |title=NASA Mars 2020 Rover Gets a Landing Site: A Crater That Contained a Lake – The rover will search the Jezero Crater and delta for the chemical building blocks of life and other signs of past microbes |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/19/science/nasa-mars-2020-rover.html |access-date=21 November 2018 |work=The New York Times}} Jezero today features a prominent river delta where water flowing through it deposited much sediment over the eons, which is "extremely good at preserving biosignatures".{{Cite news |last=Wall |first=Mike |date=19 November 2018 |title=Jezero Crater or Bust! NASA Picks Landing Site for Mars 2020 Rover |url=https://www.space.com/42486-mars-2020-rover-jezero-crater-landing-site.html |access-date=20 November 2018 |publisher=Space.com}} The sediments in the delta likely include carbonates and hydrated silica, known to preserve microscopic fossils on Earth for billions of years.[https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2019/11/16/mars-rover-will-visit-perfect-spot-find-signs-life-new-studies-show/ The Perseverance rover will visit the perfect spot to find signs of life, new studies show] Sarah Kaplan, The Washington Post, 16 November 2019 Prior to the selection of Jezero, eight proposed landing sites for the mission were under consideration by September 2015; Columbia Hills in Gusev crater, Eberswalde crater, Holden crater, Jezero crater,{{Cite news |last=Hand |first=Eric |date=6 August 2015 |title=Mars scientists tap ancient river deltas and hot springs as promising targets for 2020 rover |url=https://www.science.org/content/article/mars-scientists-tap-ancient-river-deltas-and-hot-springs-promising-targets-2020-rover |access-date=7 August 2015 |publisher=Science News}}{{Cite web |date=4 March 2015 |title=PIA19303: A Possible Landing Site for the 2020 Mission: Jezero Crater |url=http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19303 |access-date=7 March 2015 |publisher=NASA}} {{PD-notice}} Mawrth Vallis, Northeastern Syrtis Major Planum, Nili Fossae, and Southwestern Melas Chasma.{{Cite web |last=Farley |first=Ken |date=8 September 2015 |title=Researcher discusses where to land Mars 2020 |url=http://phys.org/news/2015-09-discusses-mars.html |access-date=9 September 2015 |publisher=Phys.org}}

A workshop was held on February 8–10, 2017, in Pasadena, California, to discuss these sites, with the goal of narrowing down the list to three sites for further consideration.{{Cite web |title=2020 Landing Site for Mars Rover Mission |url=http://marsnext.jpl.nasa.gov/workshops/wkshp_2017_02.cfm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170420063035/https://marsnext.jpl.nasa.gov/workshops/wkshp_2017_02.cfm |archive-date=20 April 2017 |access-date=12 February 2017 |publisher=NASA{{\}}Jet Propulsion Laboratory}} {{PD-notice}} The three sites chosen were Jezero crater, Northeastern Syrtis Major Planum, and Columbia Hills.{{Cite news |last=Witze |first=Alexandra |date=11 February 2017 |title=Three sites where NASA might retrieve its first Mars rock |url=http://www.nature.com/news/three-sites-where-nasa-might-retrieve-its-first-mars-rock-1.21470 |access-date=12 February 2017 |work=Nature |bibcode=2017Natur.542..279W}} Jezero crater was ultimately selected as the landing site in November 2018. The "fetch rover" for returning the samples is expected to launch in 2026. The landing and surface operations of the "fetch rover" would take place early in 2029. The earliest return to Earth is envisaged for 2031.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SEOiC5IVXA&feature=youtu.be&t=2395 |title=How the Perseverance Mars Rover Will Help NASA Return Mars Samples to Earth |date=28 July 2020 |publisher=NASA |time=39:55 to 42:13 |time-caption=Event occurs from}} {{PD-notice}}

File:Mars 2020 Perseverance Launch (NHQ202007300022).jpg, Florida, at 11:50 UTC on 30 July 2020]]

The launch window, when the positions of Earth and Mars were optimal for traveling to Mars, opened on July 17, 2020, and lasted through August 15, 2020.{{Cite news |last=Foust |first=Jeff |date=30 June 2020 |title=Mars 2020 launch slips again |url=https://spacenews.com/mars-2020-launch-slips-again/ |access-date=30 July 2020 |publisher=SpaceNews}} The rocket was launched on July 30, 2020, at 11:50 UTC, and the rover landed on Mars on February 18, 2021, at 20:55 UTC, with a planned surface mission of at least one Mars year (668 sols or 687 Earth days).{{Cite news |last=Ray |first=Justin |date=25 July 2016 |title=NASA books nuclear-certified Atlas 5 rocket for Mars 2020 rover launch |url=http://spaceflightnow.com/2016/07/25/nasa-books-nuclear-certified-atlas-5-rocket-for-mars-2020-rover-launch/ |access-date=26 July 2016 |publisher=Spaceflight Now}}{{Cite web |last=mars.nasa.gov |title=Overview – Mars 2020 Rover |url=http://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/mission/overview/ |access-date=19 February 2019 |website=mars.nasa.gov}} {{PD-notice}}{{Cite web |title=Mission: Overview |url=http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mars2020/mission/overview/ |access-date=7 March 2015 |publisher=NASA}} {{PD-notice}} Two other missions to Mars were launch in this window: the United Arab Emirates Space Agency launched its Emirates Mars Mission with the Hope orbiter on July 20, 2020, which arrived in Mars orbit on February 8, 2021, and China National Space Administration launched Tianwen-1 on July 23, 2020, arriving in orbit on February 10, 2021, and successfully soft landed with the Zhurong rover on May 14, 2021.{{Cite web |last=Bachman |first=Justin |date=8 February 2021 |title=Three Mars Missions Set to Arrive This Month |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-08/move-over-rover-three-mars-missions-set-to-arrive-this-month |access-date=February 22, 2021 |publisher=Bloomberg News}}

NASA announced that all of the trajectory correction maneuvers (TCM) were a success. The spacecraft fired thrusters to adjust its course toward Mars, shifting the probe's initial post-launch aim point onto the Red Planet.{{Cite web |date=19 August 2020 |title=Mars missions complete first course corrections on journey to Red Planet |url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/08/The%20next%20trajectory%20correction%20burns%20for%20Mars%202020%20are%20scheduled%20for%20Sept.%2030,%20Dec.%2018,%20Feb.%2010,%20and%20Feb.%2016.%20That%20will%20set%20the%20stage%20for%20the%20Perseverance%20rover%E2%80%99s%20landing%20on%20Mars%20on%20Feb.%2018.19/mars-missions-complete-first-course-corrections-on-journey-to-red-planet/ |access-date=20 August 2020 |publisher=Spaceflight Now}}

{{Clear}}

File:Perseverance Rover's Entry, Descent and Landing Profile.png

File:NASA-MarsPerseveranceRover-LandingDrop-20210218.png during descent]]

Prior to landing, the Science Team from an earlier NASA lander, InSight, announced that they would attempt to detect the entry, descent and landing (EDL) sequence of the Mars 2020 mission using InSight's seismometers. Despite being more than {{cvt|3400|km}} away from the Mars landing site, the team indicated that there was a possibility that InSight's instruments would be sensitive enough to detect the hypersonic impact of Mars 2020's cruise mass balance devices with the Martian surface.{{Cite journal |last1=Fernando |first1=Benjamin |last2=Wójcicka |first2=Natalia |last3=Froment |first3=Marouchka |last4=Maguire |first4=Ross |last5=Stähler |first5=Simon C. |last6=Rolland |first6=Lucie |last7=Collins |first7=Gareth S. |last8=Karatekin |first8=Ozgur |last9=Larmat |first9=Carene |last10=Sansom |first10=Eleanor K. |last11=Teanby |first11=Nicholas A. |year=2021 |title=Listening for the Landing: Seismic Detections of Perseverance's arrival at Mars with InSight |journal=Earth and Space Science |volume=8 |issue=4 |pages=e2020EA001585 |bibcode=2021E&SS....801585F |doi=10.1029/2020EA001585 |issn=2333-5084 |doi-access=free |hdl-access=free |hdl=20.500.11937/90005}}{{Cite web |last=O'Callaghan |first=Jonathan |title=NASA probe on Mars may feel the ground shake as rovers land in 2021 |url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/2263499-nasa-probe-on-mars-may-feel-the-ground-shake-as-rovers-land-in-2021/ |access-date=11 February 2021 |publisher=New Scientist}}

The rover's landing was planned similar to the Mars Science Laboratory used to deploy Curiosity on Mars in 2012. The craft from Earth was a carbon fiber capsule that protected the rover and other equipment from heat during entry into the Mars atmosphere and initial guidance towards the planned landing site. Once through, the craft jettisoned the lower heat shield and deployed a parachute from the backshell to slow the descent to a controlled speed. With the craft moving under {{cvt|320|kph}} and about {{cvt|1.9|km}} from the surface, the rover and sky crane assembly detached from the backshell, and rockets on the sky crane controlled the remaining descent to the planet. As the sky crane moved closer to the surface, it lowered Perseverance via cables until it confirmed touchdown, detached the cables, and flew a distance away to avoid damaging the rover.{{Cite web |last=Betz |first=Eric |date=18 February 2021 |title=The Skycrane: How NASA's Perseverance rover will land on Mars |url=https://astronomy.com/news/2021/02/skycrane-how-perseverance-will-land-on-mars |access-date=22 February 2021 |publisher=Astronomy.com}}

File:NASA's Perseverance Rover Microphone Captures Sounds from Mars without rover noise.ogg

Perseverance successfully landed on the surface of Mars with help of the sky crane on February 18, 2021, at 20:55 UTC, to begin its science phase, and began sending images back to Earth.{{Cite news |last=Strickland |first=Ashley |date=19 February 2021 |title=Incredible new images shared by Perseverance rover after Mars landing |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/19/world/mars-rover-new-images-scn-trnd/index.html |access-date=20 February 2021 |publisher=CNN}} Ingenuity reported back to NASA via the communications systems on Perseverance the following day, confirming its status. The helicopter was not expected to be deployed for at least 60 days into the mission.{{Cite web |last=Strickland |first=Ashley |date=20 February 2021 |title=Ingenuity helicopter phones home from Mars |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/20/world/mars-ingenuity-helicopter-update-scn-trnd/index.html |access-date=22 February 2021 |publisher=CNN}} NASA also confirmed that the on-board microphone on Perseverance had survived entry, descent and landing (EDL), along with other high-end visual recording devices, and released the first audio recorded on the surface of Mars shortly after landing,{{Cite web |last=Strickland |first=Ashley |date=23 February 2021 |title=NASA shares first video and audio, new images from Mars Perseverance rover |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/22/world/mars-rover-new-video-images-scn-trnd/index.html |access-date=23 February 2021 |publisher=CNN}} capturing the sound of a Martian breeze{{Cite web |last=Crane |first=Leah |date=2021-02-22 |title=Perseverance rover has sent back stunning video and audio from Mars |url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/2268810-perseverance-rover-has-sent-back-stunning-video-and-audio-from-mars/ |access-date=2021-02-24 |website=New Scientist}} as well as a hum from the rover itself. On May 7, 2021, NASA confirmed that Perseverance managed to record both audio and video from Ingenuity's fourth flight which took place on April 30, 2021.{{Cite news |date=May 7, 2021 |title=NASA's Perseverance Captures Video, Audio of Fourth Ingenuity Flight |url=https://mars.nasa.gov/news/8941/nasas-perseverance-captures-video-audio-of-fourth-ingenuity-flight/ |access-date=May 7, 2021 |publisher=NASA}} {{PD-notice}}

{{main|Timeline of Mars 2020}}

File:PIA24746(cropped) Jezero Crater Floor Fractured Rough.png

• February 18, 2021 – Landing of Perseverance on Mars surface
• March 4, 2021 – First major test of Perseverance drive functions
• April 3, 2021 – Deployment of Ingenuity
• April 3–4, 2021 – Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer (MEDA) recorded the first weather report on Mars{{Cite news |last=Cappucci |first=Matthew |date=8 April 2021 |title=NASA receives first weather reports from Perseverance rover on Mars at Jezero Crater – The weather data is crucial as the first flight of Ingenuity draws near |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2021/04/08/nasa-perseverence-jezero-weather/ |access-date=8 April 2021 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}
• April 19, 2021 – First flight of Ingenuity
• April 20, 2021 – Mars Oxygen ISRU Experiment (MOXIE) generated {{cvt|5.37|g}} of oxygen gas from carbon dioxide on its first test on Mars.
• June 1, 2021 – Perseverance begins its first science campaign.
• June 8, 2021 – Seventh flight of Ingenuity.
• June 21, 2021 – Eighth flight of Ingenuity. The "watchdog issue", a recurring issue which occasionally prevented Ingenuity from taking flight, is fixed.
• July 5, 2021 – Ninth flight of Ingenuity. This flight is the first to explore areas only an aerial vehicle can, by taking a shortcut over the Séítah unit. The sandy ripples of the Séítah unit would prove too difficult for Perseverance to travel through directly.
• August 6, 2021 – Perseverance acquired its first sample from the ancient lakebed.{{Cite web |last=mars.nasa.gov |title=Perseverance Rover Mars Rock Samples |url=https://mars.nasa.gov/mars-rock-samples |access-date=2024-01-26 |website=NASA Mars Exploration |language=en}}
• May 3, 2022 – After 27 flights of Ingenuity, the rover lost contact with the helicopter. By suspending scientific operations on the rover to listen for signals from the helicopter, NASA was able to regain contact and resume flights.
• January 25, 2024 – NASA announces end of mission for Ingenuity. Engineers determined that the helicopter sustained damage after a communications blackout with Perseverance just before the landing of flight 72. Photos taken by Ingenuity showed that its rotor blades, possibly all four, were damaged, resulting in the decision not to fly again.{{Cite web |last=mars.nasa.gov |title=Images from the Mars Perseverance Rover - NASA |url=https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/multimedia/raw-images/index.cfm?begin_sol=1040&end_sol=1043&af=HELI_NAV,HELI_RTE |access-date=2024-01-27 |website=mars.nasa.gov |language=en}} The helicopter had been struggling to fly for several missions before this, due to deterioration of onboard navigation systems.{{Cite web |last=Foust |first=Jeff |date=2024-12-12 |title=JPL completes investigation of Ingenuity’s final flight |url=https://spacenews.com/jpl-completes-investigation-of-ingenuitys-final-flight/ |access-date=2024-12-13 |website=SpaceNews |language=en-US}} The Ingenuity Team have named the final landing spot and resting place of Ingenuity in Airfield Chi (χ) as "Valinor Hills", after the fictional location in J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy novels.{{Cite web |title=x.com |url=https://twitter.com/NASAJPL/status/1755688593279042005}}
• July 25, 2024 - NASA's Perseverance rover discovered "leopard spots" on a reddish rock nicknamed "Cheyava Falls" in Mars' Jezero Crater, that has some indications it may have hosted microbial life billions of years ago, but further research is needed.{{Cite web |date=2024-07-25 |title=NASA's Perseverance Rover Scientists Find Intriguing Mars Rock - NASA |url=https://www.nasa.gov/missions/mars-2020-perseverance/perseverance-rover/nasas-perseverance-rover-scientists-find-intriguing-mars-rock/ |access-date=2024-07-30 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2024-07-27 |title=Has NASA's Mars rover Perseverance found evidence of ancient life? |url=https://cosmosmagazine.com/space/exploration/perseverance-rover-mars-rock-ancient-life/ |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=cosmosmagazine.com |language=en-AU}}

{{excerpt|Perseverance (rover)|Samples cached for the Mars sample-return mission|hat=no}}

File:PIA24483-MarsPerseveranceRover-OctaviaEButler-LandingSite-20210305.jpg Site in the Jezero crater (5 March 2021)