The Perseverance rover, which is about 10 feet long, 9 feet wide, and 7 feet tall, landed on Mars on February 19, 2021. As of February 19, 2024, it has been on Mars for 1067 sols, which is equivalent to 1096 total days, or 3 years and 1 day. 

The rover’s mission is to search for signs of ancient microbial life on Mars, which could indicate that the planet once had life. The rover has also been collecting samples, which could be retrieved during future missions to Mars and studied in more detail on Earth

In Short. The Perseverance rover, which has been trundling on the surface of Mars, has completed three years on the alien planet that remains one of the biggest candidates for search of life. The rover landed on Mars on February 19, 2021, after it left Earth on July 30, 2020

As of July 2023, the Perseverance rover has found evidence of organic matter on Mars that could be linked to past life on the planet. The rover has found organic signatures hidden within Martian rocks, which may have a geological source or have been left by ancient microbial life. 

The rover’s PIXL instrument has also found minerals containing phosphate in an area of abraded rock called “Ouzel Falls”. Phosphate is a material found in the DNA and cell membranes of all known life. 

The rover’s discovery of an ancient lake bed beneath its location on Mars could mean the rover has already scraped up microbial fossils

Analyzing this abraded rock patch dubbed “Bills Bay,” the PIXL instrument on NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover found it rich in carbonates (purple) and silica (green), both of which are good at preserving signs of ancient life

Yes, Perseverance is collecting samples on Mars for future return to Earth. The rover is part of the Mars Sample Return Campaign, which aims to deliver samples to Earth in 2033. 

In January 2023, Perseverance created its first sample depot, which will be considered for return to Earth. NASA and the European Space Agency plan to send another spacecraft to fetch the samples, which will be returned to Earth in about a decade.

Yes, Perseverance has found many things on Mars, including:

• Organic molecules A 2023 study found a variety of organic molecules in a Martian crater. Organic compounds are molecules that contain carbon and often include other elements like hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur. 
• Mudstone In 2022, Perseverance found a mudstone rock called Wildcat Ridge, which is rich in organic material. The rock likely formed in saltwater as ancient lake water evaporated. 
• Igneous rock The rover’s mission team has discovered that the crater floor is made of igneous rock. 
• Sedimentary rocks In 2022, Perseverance found some sedimentary rocks while exploring the delta front. 
• hints of microbial life In 2022, NASA scientists said that Perseverance found biologically-interesting rocks in an ancient lake bed that could indicate microbial life existed on Mars billions of years ago

It found nutrients and energy sources that microbes could have used, and established that Mars indeed had regions that could have been friendly to life in the ancient past. Did life take hold on the Red Planet?

According to a 2024 article, Perseverance’s discovery of an ancient lake bed could mean it has already found microbial fossils. In addition, a 2023 study found potential evidence of organic molecules on Mars, which could indicate the presence of key building blocks of life. 

However, a 2022 article says that Perseverance can only drill down to around 5 cm, and that radiation would destroy amino acids and other organic biosignatures. Research also suggests that amino acids are destroyed by cosmic rays in the Martian surface rocks and regolith at much faster rates than previously thought. 

According to scientists, it’s highly likely that the Perseverance rovermay already have rolled over signs of life on Mars. This assessment comes as the latest data from the rover hints at the existence of the sediments of a dried-out lake on the planet, which was once fed by a large river.

In 2018, NASA’s Curiosity rover found organic molecules in sedimentary rocks that are three billion years old. The presence of organic molecules in rocks indicates that some of the building blocks for life were present. 

In addition, Curiosity has found evidence of:

• Persistent liquid water in the past 
• A suitable home for life 
• Organic carbon found in Mars rocks 
• Present and active methane in Mars’ atmosphere

Please like subscribe comment your precious thoughts on universe discoveries

Full article source google

Best books on heavy discount on Amazon