Perseverance Mars rover

NASA's Mars rover Perseverance is scheduled to touch down on the Red Planet on Feb. 18, 2021. The new rover will search for signs of habitable environments on Mars and evidence of past microbial life. It will also cache samples of the Red Planet to return to Earth for a future Mars sample-return mission. See the latest news about NASA's Perseverance Mars rover here!

Related topics: Mars, Curiosity rover, ExoMars

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A photograph taken by the Perseverance rover of the Ingenuity helicopter on the surface of Mars in April 2021, just after the rover deployed the chopper.

Mars helicopter Ingenuity recovering from communications blackout spawned by dust

By Elizabeth Howell published

Ingenuity appears to be in recovery from a communications glitch on Mars.

An artist's depiction of a rocket launching Mars samples off the planet's surface for the journey to Earth.

NASA wants your input on its Mars sample return project

By Elizabeth Howell last updated

NASA is asking the public to comment on an environmental assessment for its Mars sample return effort.

NASA's Spirit rover photographed this olivine-rich rock in the Gusev Crater on Mars in 2005.

Strange Mars rock type points to extremely violent volcanic eruptions

By Stefanie Waldek published

An unusual rock type spotted by two Mars rovers may indicate that the Martian landscape was shaped by cataclysmic volcanic eruptions.

The backshell and parachute that helped NASA's Perseverance Mars rover and Ingenuity helicopter land on the Red Planet in February 2021, as photographed by Ingenuity on April 19, 2022.

Ingenuity Mars helicopter snaps amazing photos of Perseverance rover's landing gear (video)

By Mike Wall published

NASA's Ingenuity Mars helicopter continues to give us Red Planet views we've never seen before.

A screenshot from a video showing the Mars moon Phobos crossing the face of the sun. NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover captured the video on April 2, 2022, with its Mastcam-Z camera. You can also spot a group of sunspots on the left.

Wow! Perseverance rover captures gorgeous video of solar eclipse on Mars

By Elizabeth Howell published

The tiny Mars moon Phobos looms large on the sun's face in dramatic eclipse footage captured by NASA's Perseverance rover.

NASA's Mars rover Perseverance has arrived at the ancient river delta that once existed on the floor of Jezero Crater. The rover took this image on April 16, 2022.

Perseverance rover arrives at ancient Mars river delta

By Elizabeth Howell published

Perseverance just reached the remains of an ancient Red Planet river delta, a set of layered rocks that has long been the life-hunting rover's main science target.

NASA's Ingenuity Mars helicopter conducts its 13th Red Planet flight in this image captured by the Mastcam-Z camera system on NASA’s Perseverance rover on Sept. 4, 2021.

Happy anniversary, Ingenuity! Mars helicopter flew for the 1st time one year ago today

By Mike Wall published

One year ago today (April 19), NASA's Mars helicopter Ingenuity lifted into the Red Planet sky for the first time.

NASA's Mars helicopter Ingenuity captured this photo of its shadow during its 25th Red Planet flight, on April 8, 2022.

Mars helicopter Ingenuity aces record-breaking 25th flight

By Mike Wall published

The 4-pound (1.8 kilograms) Ingenuity aced its 25th flight on the Red Planet last Friday (April 8), setting new personal bests for speed and distance.

The Ingenuity helicopter, circled in red, seen from space on Mars on March, 31 2022.

NASA photos show the Perseverance Mars rover and tiny Ingenuity helicopter from space

By Chelsea Gohd last updated

NASA's newest Mars rover and its trusty helicopter companion were spotted all the way from space in a new photo.

NASA's Ingenuity Mars helicopter captured this image of its own shadow during its 24th Martian flight, on April 3, 2022.

NASA's Ingenuity helicopter makes its 24th flight on Mars

By Stefanie Waldek published

NASA's Ingenuity helicopter completed its 24th Martian flight on Sunday (April 3), a short repositioning hop that covered 154 feet (47 meters) in 69.5 seconds.

Scientists measured the speed of sound on Mars using a microphone on the SuperCam instrument on NASA's Perseverance rover.

The speed of sound on Mars is different from Earth, Perseverance rover finds

By Tereza Pultarova last updated

Sound travels much more slowly on the Red Planet than it does on Earth but also behaves in some unexpected ways that could have strange consequences for communication on the planet.

An artist's depiction of a rocket launching Mars samples off the planet's surface for the journey to Earth.

Perseverance rover's Mars samples now won't make it to Earth until 2033 at best

By Mike Wall published

The NASA-ESA campaign to haul Mars samples back to Earth will require two Red Planet landers instead of one. The change will delay the arrival of samples here by two years, to no earlier than 2033.

China's Tianwen 1 Mars orbiter captured this photo of NASA's Perseverance rover (bottom right) on the Red Planet's surface on March 7, 2022. The other arrow, in the center of the frame, points out Perseverance's landing area.

Chinese Mars orbiter spies Zhurong, Perseverance rovers (photos, video)

By Mike Wall published

China's Tianwen 1 orbiter recently captured photos of China's Zhurong rover and NASA's Perseverance rover as the two wheeled robots explored their Martian surroundings.

NASA's Ingenuity Mars helicopter captured this shot of its own shadow during its 22nd Red Planet flight, on March 20, 2022.

Mars helicopter Ingenuity soars on 22nd Red Planet flight

By Mike Wall published

NASA's Mars helicopter Ingenuity has done it again, soaring successfully on its 22nd Red Planet flight.

A photograph taken by the Perseverance rover of the Ingenuity helicopter on the surface of Mars in April 2021, just after the rover deployed the chopper.

NASA's Mars helicopter Ingenuity to keep flying through September (at least)

By Elizabeth Howell last updated

Ingenuity now has clearance to continue flying until at least September, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory announced today (March 15).

Perseverance's collection system on Mars, photographed as the rover captured its eighth Red Planet sample in March 2022.

NASA's Perseverance Mars rover nabs 8th rock sample on the Red Planet

By Elizabeth Howell last updated

NASA's top-notch Red Planet geology rover is moving on to explore an ancient river delta now that its eighth rock sample is secured for future analysis.

NASA's Ingenuity Mars helicopter conducts its 13th Red Planet flight, on Sept. 4, 2021, in this image captured by NASA’s Perseverance rover. Ingenuity just aced its 21st Mars sortie, NASA officials announced on March 11, 2022. (Photos from the flight were not immediately available.)

Mars helicopter Ingenuity aces 21st Red Planet flight

By Mike Wall published

Ingenuity traveled 1,214 feet (370 meters) and stayed aloft for 129 seconds on its latest sortie.

NASA's Mars rover Perseverance rover has collected its seventh Red Planet rock sample, seen here in a photo taken on March 7, 2022.

NASA's Mars rover Perseverance snags 7th Red Planet rock sample

By Mike Wall published

Perseverance just socked away another Martian rock sample, the seventh that it has collected since landing on the Red Planet in February 2021.

NASA's Mars helicopter Ingenuity captured this shot of its shadow during its 20th Martian flight, on Feb. 25, 2022.

NASA's Mars helicopter Ingenuity helicopter aces 20th flight on Red Planet

By Mike Wall last updated

On Friday (Feb. 25), Ingenuity notched yet another milestone, this one of the round-number variety — its 20th Martian sortie.

NASA's Perseverance Mars rover took this selfie over a rock nicknamed "Rochette" on Sept. 10, 2021.

After a year on Mars, NASA's Perseverance rover is on course for big discoveries

By Mike Wall published

NASA's Perseverance rover has been on Mars for a full year now, but in some ways the robot is just getting started.