Mars 2020 is a robotic space mission to the planet Mars. It is based on a six-wheeled rover called Perseverance. The purpose of the mission is to search for signs of past life on Mars and to perform several experiments. The United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) launched Perseverance to Mars on July 30, 2020. 
Perseverance is the largest rover ever sent to Mars. It is the size of a small automobile and weighs over 2,200 pounds (1,000 kilograms) on Earth. Engineers and scientists at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) designed and built Perseverance for NASA. The design of Perseverance is based on that of the Mars Science Laboratory’s rover Curiosity. Many spare parts created for Curiosity were incorporated into Perseverance. However, JPL scientists and engineers modified the design for the Perseverance mission. Perseverance is about 5 inches (13 centimeters) longer and 278 pounds (126 kilograms) heavier than Curiosity. JPL also improved components that have not functioned as well as anticipated on Curiosity. For example, rocks on the Martian surface have easily punctured Curiosity’s thin wheels, so engineers redesigned the wheels on Perseverance for greater durability.
Perseverance landed on Mars on Feb. 18, 2021, in Jezero Crater. The crater once contained a lake of liquid water that was fed by a river. To descend to the Martian surface, Perseverance used the sky crane system pioneered by the Mars Science Laboratory. A parachute slowed the craft after it entered the Martian atmosphere. A set of rockets then lowered the rover to the ground on a tether. Perseverance explores Jezero Crater’s ancient river delta and searches for signs of past life there. The rover has collected rock and soil samples that may be returned to Earth for further study. It also studies the geology and climate of the region.
Perseverance carries many sophisticated scientific instruments. They include color cameras and a laser mounted atop a long mast. The laser can vaporize (change to a gas or vapor) small pieces of rock from as far away as about 20 feet (6 meters). Perseverance can then analyze the vaporized material to determine the rock’s chemical composition. 
Perseverance has a special drill mounted on a 7-foot (2.1-meter) robotic arm to collect small samples of rocks and soil at the surface. The robotic arm places samples in the body of the rover, where they are photographed and sealed in small tubes. When the rover reaches a suitable location, the robotic arm returns the sealed sample tubes to the surface. Scientists and engineers are designing further missions to collect these samples and return them to Earth.
Perseverance’s primary mission lasted one Martian year, about 98 weeks. The rover then began an extended mission to explore other areas near its landing site. Other NASA robotic missions to Mars, such as Curiosity and the earlier twin rovers Spirit and Opportunity, remained in operation for many years after their planned mission time.
Perseverance carried two technology experiments to Mars. The Mars Oxygen In Situ Resource Utilization Experiment (MOXIE), carried inside the body of the rover, successfully converted small amounts of carbon dioxide in the Martian atmosphere into oxygen. Such a system could be used in future missions to create rocket fuel for the launch of rock samples or astronauts into space.
The second technology experiment, the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, was carried to the planet’s surface on the undercarriage of Perseverance. Ingenuity is a small drone (unpiloted aircraft) with helicopter blades specially designed for the thin atmosphere of Mars. Ingenuity was designed to test the possibility of using drones to explore Mars and other planets and moons that have an atmosphere. Ingenuity became the first powered aircraft to fly on another planet.
Ingenuity completed its first test flights in 2021. The drone performed so well that after three short flights, NASA decided Ingenuity’s technology-demonstration mission was complete. Ingenuity then began a new mission to test advanced maneuvers, and flights in different weather conditions. When Ingenuity’s extended mission ended in early 2024, it had completed 72 flights. 
See also Space exploration (Exploring Mars).
