Meet one of the Martian samples that has been collected and is awaiting return to Earth as part of the Mars Sample Return campaign. As of late July 2023, NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover has collected and sealed 20 scientifically selected samples inside pristine tubes. The next stage is to get them back for study.
Considered one of the highest priorities by the scientists in the Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey 2023-2032, Mars Sample Return would be the first mission to return samples from another planet and provides the best opportunity to reveal the early evolution of Mars, including the potential for ancient life. NASA is teaming with ESA (European Space Agency) on this important endeavor.
Learn more about Sample No. 16 - “Kukaklek” - a sedimentary rock core collected from a rock at the Jezero Crater “Delta Front.” This sample came from a rock with various textures and colors of the mineral sulfate, possibly indicating that it interacted with water more than once. Was Jezero Crater filled with water multiple times? This rock may hold clues to Mars’ watery past.
Read about all the carefully selected samples: mars.nasa.gov/mars-rock-samples
Learn more about the Mars Sample Return campaign: mars.nasa.gov/msr
A key objective for Perseverance's mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover characterizes the planet's geology and past climate, paves the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and is the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith (broken rock and dust).
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech