NASA JPL - MARS 2020 Perseverance Rover Launch cover

The Mars 2020 mission launched on July 30, 2020, at 7:50 a.m. EDT.

The Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover will search for signs of ancient microbial life, which will advance NASA's quest to explore the past habitability of Mars. The rover has a drill to collect core samples of Martian rock and soil, then store them in sealed tubes for pickup by a future mission that would ferry them back to Earth for detailed analysis. Perseverance will also test technologies to help pave the way for future human exploration of Mars.

• Mission Name: Mars 2020

• Rover Name: Perseverance

• Main Job: The Perseverance rover will seek signs of ancient life and collect rock and soil samples for possible return to Earth.

• Launched: July 30, 2020

• Launch Location: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida

• Landing: Feb. 18, 2021

• Landing Site: Jezero Crater, Mars

• Mission Duration: At least one Mars year (about 687 Earth days)

• Tech Demo: The Mars Helicopter is a technology demonstration, hitching a ride on the Perseverance rover.