It’s straightforward to take it without any consideration, however we’re driving round on freakin’ Mars proper now.

We’ve carried out this a couple of instances earlier than, certain, however it stays certainly one of humankind’s most spectacular technological feats. The newest rover to proceed our presence on the pink planet is Perseverance, the star of the Mars 2020 mission that launched in July of that 12 months and landed in February of 2021.

It has now been busy roving for over two years. Information of what we’re discovering—past the stream of pictures—tends to come back in discrete bits that may be onerous to attach into an even bigger image when you aren’t following intently. Contemplate this your wide-angle recap.

Like different rovers, Perseverance is bristling with science devices. It has cameras of a number of sorts used each for basic imagery and spectral evaluation that may determine minerals. That latter perform is supplemented by an extra X-ray instrument. Perseverance additionally has a ground-penetrating radar instrument that may reveal layering hidden beneath the floor. Extra invasively, there’s a drill on the top of the rover’s robotic arm. That is used to grind clear (what geologists name “recent”) spots for evaluation, however it may well additionally core out small cylindrical rock samples—hopefully to be retrieved and returned to Earth by a future mission.

It isn’t all concerning the rocks, although. Perseverance has a climate module monitoring atmospheric circumstances and airborne mud. And it has a buddy—the Ingenuity helicopter has wildly exceeded its pilot-testing objective and is nonetheless flying briefly hops to maintain up with the rover.

This mission set down in Jezero Crater, which was chosen as a result of rocks resembling a river delta are draped over its rim—indicating that flowing water may need met a lake right here up to now. It’s the proper atmosphere to check the historical past of water on Mars and the potential for life related to it. There’s solely a lot science you are able to do from orbit. To untangle the forensic clues that stay right here, it’s essential to get down on the bottom.

First cease: Crater

The primary years on Mars had been spent investigating the ground of Jezero Crater. The kind of rock that will be discovered right here was truly considerably ambiguous from orbit. There was clearly some igneous rock, both from volcanic magma or a molten pool created by the meteorite influence that fashioned the crater. However some additionally anticipated to see sedimentary rock representing the underside of a lake that known as the crater dwelling.

It turned out to only be igneous basalt beneath the blanket of wind-blown mud, and any lake-bottom sediments that existed right here should have lengthy since eroded away. You would possibly suppose that’s disappointing—just like the pharaoh’s tomb was already cleaned out by grave robbers—however that is truly one of many higher seems to be we’ve gotten at Mars’ igneous bedrock. Missions have typically focused pockets of notable sedimentary rock, with solely scattered bits of the way more widespread igneous rock on show.

The Martian meteorites we’ve discovered on Earth—chipped off the pink planet throughout giant influence occasions—have solely given us literal fragments of the massive image. If we efficiently return the eight rock samples collected from the crater ground, this chance to cruise round on intact igneous bedrock may reply a number of questions raised by the meteorites.

On this case, the science staff has divided the crater ground rocks they noticed into two main layers. The higher one, known as the Máaz formation, seems to have fashioned from lavas. Some parts exhibit a texture just like the wrinkled (or “rope-like”) lavas we see in Hawaii. In different areas, the rock occurs to stay up by means of the pink mud as flat polygons resembling pavers in a backyard, or as taller, boulder-sized blocks.

The decrease Séítah formation is distinct in each texture and minerals. It stands out from its environment because of its skinny layering and visual, intently packed crystals. And whereas the Máaz rocks comprise numerous the mineral feldspar, Séítah’s rocks are dominated by olivine, as an alternative.

This seems to be like what geologists name “cumulate”—the magmatic equal of the gritty dregs in your espresso cup. As a result of totally different minerals crystallize at totally different temperatures (sure, molten rock has a freezing level), minerals like olivine that crystallize early can settle to the underside of a magma physique and accumulate. On Earth, this sample might be seen in magma chambers that cooled underground or in some sufficiently thick lavas.