{"id":43498,"date":"2023-03-27T07:33:27","date_gmt":"2023-03-27T07:33:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/?p=117390"},"modified":"2023-03-27T08:32:30","modified_gmt":"2023-03-27T08:32:30","slug":"perseverance-rovers-mars-samples-will-give-scientists-chance-to-study-red-planet-back-on-earth","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/rss_feed\/perseverance-rovers-mars-samples-will-give-scientists-chance-to-study-red-planet-back-on-earth\/","title":{"rendered":"Perseverance rover\u2019s Mars samples will give scientists chance to study Red Planet back on Earth"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"rssexcerpt\"> Mars&#8217;s warm, wet past and evidence of microbial life could be some just of the secrets revealed by the sample return mission. <\/p><p class=\"rssauthor\">By Ezzy Pearson\n                \t\t<\/p><p class=\"rssbyline\">Published: Monday, 27 March 2023 at 12:00 am<\/p><hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator\"\/><?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\" standalone=\"yes\"?>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><body> <p class=\"&quot;p1&quot;\"><span class=\"&quot;s1&quot;\">On 29 January 2023, NASA\u2019s <a href=\"&quot;https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/space-missions\/perseverance-rover-mars-images\/&quot;\">Perseverance rover<\/a>, which has been exploring the planet Mars since making its <a href=\"&quot;https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/space-missions\/nasa-perseverance-mars-rover-facts\/&quot;\">successful landing on 18 February 2021<\/a>, created its first depot of Martian soil samples, due to be picked up at a later date and returned to Earth for study.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"&quot;p1&quot;\"><span class=\"&quot;s1&quot;\">Perseverance dropped its final tube at a region known as Three Forks.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"&quot;p1&quot;\"><span class=\"&quot;s1&quot;\">A future joint NASA and ESA mission will aim to retrieve samples directly from Perseverance, but this depot will act as a back-up just in case the rover became inaccessible.<\/span><\/p>\n<iframe title=\"&quot;Mars\" sample=\"\" return:=\"\" bringing=\"\" mars=\"\" rock=\"\" samples=\"\" back=\"\" to=\"\" earth=\"\" width=\"&quot;200&quot;\" height=\"&quot;113&quot;\" src=\"&quot;https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/t9G36CDLzIg?feature=oembed&quot;\" frameborder=\"&quot;0&quot;\" allow=\"&quot;accelerometer;\" autoplay=\"\" clipboard-write=\"\" encrypted-media=\"\" gyroscope=\"\" picture-in-picture=\"\" web-share=\"\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\/>\n<p class=\"&quot;p2&quot;\"><span class=\"&quot;s1&quot;\">For the last three years, Perseverance has taken samples in pairs from across the surface \u2013 one to leave at the depot, one to keep on board.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"&quot;p2&quot;\"><span class=\"&quot;s1&quot;\">It has collected nine rock and soil samples, as well as a \u2018witness tube\u2019 filled with Martian air that will help determine if the other tubes have been contaminated during their journey back to Earth.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"&quot;p2&quot;\"><span class=\"&quot;s1&quot;\">Perseverance is exploring Jezero Crater, which was formed four billion years ago when conditions on Mars were temperate enough for liquid water to flow across the surface.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"&quot;image-handler__container\" image-handler__container--full=\"\" style=\"&quot;padding-bottom:\" calc=\"\"> <picture><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2021\/02\/06-Jezero-Crater-c6c48a2-e1679903259479.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=300%2C67,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2021\/02\/06-Jezero-Crater-c6c48a2-e1679903259479.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=300%2C67,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2021\/02\/06-Jezero-Crater-c6c48a2-e1679903259479.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=355%2C79,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2021\/02\/06-Jezero-Crater-c6c48a2-e1679903259479.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=355%2C79,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2021\/02\/06-Jezero-Crater-c6c48a2-e1679903259479.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=405%2C90,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2021\/02\/06-Jezero-Crater-c6c48a2-e1679903259479.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=405%2C90,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2021\/02\/06-Jezero-Crater-c6c48a2-e1679903259479.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=554%2C123,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2021\/02\/06-Jezero-Crater-c6c48a2-e1679903259479.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=554%2C123,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2021\/02\/06-Jezero-Crater-c6c48a2-e1679903259479.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=620%2C138&quot;\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2021\/02\/06-Jezero-Crater-c6c48a2-e1679903259479.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=620%2C138&quot;\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2021\/02\/06-Jezero-Crater-c6c48a2-e1679903259479.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=408%2C91,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2021\/02\/06-Jezero-Crater-c6c48a2-e1679903259479.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=408%2C91,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2021\/02\/06-Jezero-Crater-c6c48a2-e1679903259479.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=556%2C124,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2021\/02\/06-Jezero-Crater-c6c48a2-e1679903259479.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=556%2C124,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><img class=\"&quot;wp-image-59176\" align=\"\" size-full=\"\" image-handler__image=\"\" image-handler__image--full=\"\" no-wrap=\"\" js-lazyload=\"\" data-src=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2021\/02\/06-Jezero-Crater-c6c48a2-e1679903259479.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=620%2C138&quot;\" width=\"&quot;1200&quot;\" height=\"&quot;267&quot;\" alt=\"&quot;&quot;\" title=\"&quot;&quot;\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div><div class=\"&quot;caption-hold&quot;\"><figcaption class=\"&quot;wp-caption-text&quot;\"><span class=\"&quot;caption-copy&quot;\"><i class=\"&quot;icon-arrow\" icon-camera-circle=\"\"\/> The rim of Jezero Crater \u2013 Perseverance\u2019s landing place and area of study \u2013 captured in a 360\u00b0 panorama by the Mastcam-Z instrument onboard the rover. This image is a section of the whole panorama, which can be seen on the NASA Mars website. Credit: NASA\/JPL-Caltech\/MSSS\/ASU<\/span><\/figcaption><span class=\"&quot;im-image-caption&quot;\"\/><\/div>\n<p class=\"&quot;p2&quot;\"><span class=\"&quot;s1&quot;\">The rover is traversing what was once a delta, where a river flowed out into a lake.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"&quot;p2&quot;\"><span class=\"&quot;s1&quot;\">This area offers a wide range of terrains, each shaped by different geological processes, that will give scientists insights into how water shaped the Martian surface.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"&quot;p2&quot;\"><span class=\"&quot;s1&quot;\">They may also contain signs of ancient microbial life.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"&quot;p2&quot;\"><span class=\"&quot;s1&quot;\">The mission has already explored the lower parts of the delta, but has now transitioned to the top, a point marked by the \u2018Rocky Top\u2019 outcrop.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"&quot;image-handler__container\" image-handler__container--full=\"\" style=\"&quot;padding-bottom:\" calc=\"\"> <picture><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2023\/03\/PIA25663-dcf00ef-e1679902958580.png?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=300%2C105,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2023\/03\/PIA25663-dcf00ef-e1679902958580.png?quality=90&amp;resize=300%2C105,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/png&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2023\/03\/PIA25663-dcf00ef-e1679902958580.png?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=355%2C124,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2023\/03\/PIA25663-dcf00ef-e1679902958580.png?quality=90&amp;resize=355%2C124,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/png&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2023\/03\/PIA25663-dcf00ef-e1679902958580.png?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=405%2C141,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2023\/03\/PIA25663-dcf00ef-e1679902958580.png?quality=90&amp;resize=405%2C141,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/png&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2023\/03\/PIA25663-dcf00ef-e1679902958580.png?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=554%2C193,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2023\/03\/PIA25663-dcf00ef-e1679902958580.png?quality=90&amp;resize=554%2C193,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/png&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2023\/03\/PIA25663-dcf00ef-e1679902958580.png?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=620%2C216&quot;\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2023\/03\/PIA25663-dcf00ef-e1679902958580.png?quality=90&amp;resize=620%2C216&quot;\" type=\"&quot;image\/png&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2023\/03\/PIA25663-dcf00ef-e1679902958580.png?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=408%2C142,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2023\/03\/PIA25663-dcf00ef-e1679902958580.png?quality=90&amp;resize=408%2C142,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/png&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2023\/03\/PIA25663-dcf00ef-e1679902958580.png?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=556%2C194,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2023\/03\/PIA25663-dcf00ef-e1679902958580.png?quality=90&amp;resize=556%2C194,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/png&quot;\"><img class=\"&quot;wp-image-117398\" align=\"\" size-full=\"\" image-handler__image=\"\" image-handler__image--full=\"\" no-wrap=\"\" js-lazyload=\"\" data-src=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2023\/03\/PIA25663-dcf00ef-e1679902958580.png?quality=90&amp;resize=620%2C216&quot;\" width=\"&quot;1200&quot;\" height=\"&quot;418&quot;\" alt=\"&quot;&quot;\" title=\"&quot;&quot;\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div><div class=\"&quot;caption-hold&quot;\"><figcaption class=\"&quot;wp-caption-text&quot;\"><span class=\"&quot;caption-copy&quot;\"><i class=\"&quot;icon-arrow\" icon-camera-circle=\"\"\/> The first sample tube deposited on Mars by Perseverance rover, 21 December 2022. Credit: NASA\/JPL-Caltech<\/span><\/figcaption><span class=\"&quot;im-image-caption&quot;\"\/><\/div>\n<p class=\"&quot;p2&quot;\"><span class=\"&quot;s1&quot;\">\u201cWe found that from the base of the delta up to the level where Rocky Top is located, the rocks appear to have been deposited in a lake environment,\u201d says Ken Farley, Perseverance\u2019s project scientist at Caltech.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"&quot;p2&quot;\"><span class=\"&quot;s1&quot;\">\u201cThose just above Rocky Top appear to have been created in or at the end of a Martian river flowing into the lake. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"&quot;p2&quot;\"><span class=\"&quot;s1&quot;\">\u201cAs we ascend the delta into a river setting, we expect to move into rocks that are composed of larger grains \u2013 from sand to large boulders. Those materials likely originated in rocks outside of Jezero, eroded and then washed into the crater.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"&quot;image-handler__container\" image-handler__container--full=\"\" style=\"&quot;padding-bottom:\" calc=\"\"> <picture><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2020\/05\/Big_Bertha_sample_14321-a1bbec4-scaled-e1679903072142.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=300%2C234,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2020\/05\/Big_Bertha_sample_14321-a1bbec4-scaled-e1679903072142.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=300%2C234,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2020\/05\/Big_Bertha_sample_14321-a1bbec4-scaled-e1679903072142.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=355%2C277,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2020\/05\/Big_Bertha_sample_14321-a1bbec4-scaled-e1679903072142.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=355%2C277,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2020\/05\/Big_Bertha_sample_14321-a1bbec4-scaled-e1679903072142.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=405%2C316,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2020\/05\/Big_Bertha_sample_14321-a1bbec4-scaled-e1679903072142.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=405%2C316,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2020\/05\/Big_Bertha_sample_14321-a1bbec4-scaled-e1679903072142.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=554%2C432,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2020\/05\/Big_Bertha_sample_14321-a1bbec4-scaled-e1679903072142.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=554%2C432,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2020\/05\/Big_Bertha_sample_14321-a1bbec4-scaled-e1679903072142.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=620%2C483&quot;\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2020\/05\/Big_Bertha_sample_14321-a1bbec4-scaled-e1679903072142.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=620%2C483&quot;\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2020\/05\/Big_Bertha_sample_14321-a1bbec4-scaled-e1679903072142.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=408%2C318,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2020\/05\/Big_Bertha_sample_14321-a1bbec4-scaled-e1679903072142.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=408%2C318,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2020\/05\/Big_Bertha_sample_14321-a1bbec4-scaled-e1679903072142.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=556%2C433,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2020\/05\/Big_Bertha_sample_14321-a1bbec4-scaled-e1679903072142.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=556%2C433,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><img class=\"&quot;wp-image-48878\" align=\"\" size-full=\"\" image-handler__image=\"\" image-handler__image--full=\"\" no-wrap=\"\" js-lazyload=\"\" data-src=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2020\/05\/Big_Bertha_sample_14321-a1bbec4-scaled-e1679903072142.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=620%2C483&quot;\" width=\"&quot;1200&quot;\" height=\"&quot;935&quot;\" alt=\"&quot;&quot;\" title=\"&quot;&quot;\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div><div class=\"&quot;caption-hold&quot;\"><figcaption class=\"&quot;wp-caption-text&quot;\"><span class=\"&quot;caption-copy&quot;\"><i class=\"&quot;icon-arrow\" icon-camera-circle=\"\"\/> A Moon rock known as Big Bertha was collected by the Apollo 14 crew. Weighing around 9kg, it is one of the largest collected during the Apollo missions. Credit: NASA.<\/span><\/figcaption><span class=\"&quot;im-image-caption&quot;\"\/><\/div>\n<h2><strong>Why bring Mars samples back to Earth?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p class=\"&quot;p1&quot;\"><span class=\"&quot;s1&quot;\">The importance of getting fresh Martian material into a terrestrial laboratory can\u2019t be overstated.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"&quot;p1&quot;\"><span class=\"&quot;s1&quot;\">Though the instruments carried by rovers like Perseverance are wonders of miniaturisation, they can\u2019t possibly compete with the equipment sitting in any university lab.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>This is <a href=\"&quot;https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/space-science\/sample-return-missions\/&quot;\">why astronomers study samples from other worlds<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"&quot;p2&quot;\"><span class=\"&quot;s1&quot;\">Scientists around the world are already preparing their cases to be among the lucky few to get their hands on what\u2019s returned from Jezero Crater.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"&quot;p2&quot;\"><span class=\"&quot;s1&quot;\">Yet, just as we\u2019re still studying material brought back from the Moon by Apollo astronauts, NASA will set some precious Martian dust aside for study with technologies not yet developed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"&quot;p2&quot;\"><span class=\"&quot;s1&quot;\">The researchers of a century hence may consider the contents of those tiny tubes even more special than we do.<\/span><i\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"&quot;p1&quot;\"><a href=\"\/\/mars.nasa.gov\/mars2020&quot;\" target=\"&quot;_blank&quot;\" rel=\"&quot;noopener&quot; noopener noreferrer\"><strong><span class=\"&quot;s1&quot;\">mars.nasa.gov\/mars2020 <\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n<hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator\"\/>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p> Mars&#8217;s warm, wet past and evidence of microbial life could be some just of the secrets revealed by the sample return mission. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":43499,"template":"","categories":[1],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"4"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2023\/03\/perseverance-rovers-mars-samples-will-give-scientists-chance-to-study-red-planet-back-on-earth.jpg",1200,800,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2023\/03\/perseverance-rovers-mars-samples-will-give-scientists-chance-to-study-red-planet-back-on-earth-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2023\/03\/perseverance-rovers-mars-samples-will-give-scientists-chance-to-study-red-planet-back-on-earth-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2023\/03\/perseverance-rovers-mars-samples-will-give-scientists-chance-to-study-red-planet-back-on-earth-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2023\/03\/perseverance-rovers-mars-samples-will-give-scientists-chance-to-study-red-planet-back-on-earth-1024x683.jpg",800,534,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2023\/03\/perseverance-rovers-mars-samples-will-give-scientists-chance-to-study-red-planet-back-on-earth.jpg",1200,800,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2023\/03\/perseverance-rovers-mars-samples-will-give-scientists-chance-to-study-red-planet-back-on-earth.jpg",1200,800,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Mars's warm, wet past and evidence of microbial life could be some just of the secrets revealed by the sample return mission.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/43498"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/43499"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43498"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43498"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}