By The perseverance of Nasa Mars Rover has collected a dozen stone core samples on the red planet. The latest or 12th rock samples were collected by Rover on Sol 516 (August 3, 2022).
Launched on February 18, 2021, the main purpose of Perseverance is to find signs of ancient life and collect stone samples and regolites (damaged stones and soil) on the red planet for the possibility of returning to earth.
All rocks and soil samples collected from the surface of Mars by Rover are planned to be returned to Earth in 2033 as part of the campaign to return the Mars sample – strategic partnership between NASA and European Space Agency (ESA).
Bringing a sample of Mars to Earth will allow scientists to examine specimens using sophisticated instruments around the world too large and too complicated to be sent to Mars and looking for signs of past microscopic life on the red planet.
The new institutions -this are presenting an enhanced concept for the Mars sample return campaign, which now includes two sample recovery helicopters, based on the Mars Nasa Incenuity helicopter design.
The perseverance of NASA will be the main means to transport samples to the agency sampling lander carrying a mars climbing vehicle and the transfer of Esa sample transfer. Lander sampling will include two sample recovery helicopters, which will provide the secondary ability to take samples that are -cache on the surface of Mars.
Esa’s Earth Return Orbiter and NASA’s capture, detention and return system will remain a vital element of this program.