NASA rover's "Silver Mountain" find could redefine Mars exploration
For Donald Trump, Mars is a priority, so NASA's successes will be even more crucial. Recently, a significant achievement occurred. The Perseverance rover, which collects numerous samples, made a discovery "unlike anything we've ever seen before."
NASA's Perseverance rover has collected a unique rock sample named "Silver Mountain" from Mars' Jezero Crater, featuring unprecedented textures, reports The Economic Times.
Scientists believe the sample has the potential to change our knowledge about Mars. It was placed in a special tube and will be examined on Earth in the future.
Now that I've completed my climb out of Jezero Crater, I'm back to #SamplingMars! My 26th sample, known as "Silver Mountain," has textures unlike anything we've seen before. I've sealed the rock core in a sample tube so it can be analyzed in labs on Earth in the future, as stated on the NASA rover's profile on X.
The rover's task is to collect samples that will help us better understand the geological history and climate of Mars, ultimately determining whether life ever existed there.
In August of the previous year, NASA published the rover's route. It was to begin its climb to a height of about 820 feet along the western edge of Jezero Crater. It is supposed to reach a location known as "Virgin Hazel Hill."
"Silver Mountain" was collected in Blue Hill and has a diameter of about 1 inch.This marks our first Noachian-aged outcrop sample, an important milestone in our mission to uncover the geological history of Jezero Crater, explains NASA.
According to scientist Nicolas Randazzo, rock samples may reveal "significant clues" regarding past water activity and the potential habitation of Mars.
However, before we learn the truth, there will be a wait. The agency announced that the samples are expected to arrive on Earth in 2035 or at the latest by 2039.
Bill Nelson, former NASA administrator and Trump administration nominee for the position of NATO head, suggested that Mars will be a priority for the agency in the future.
