![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/54335896349-3df0fb63b6-o.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>NASA\u2019s Perseverance<\/a> Rover approaches Mars in this Feb. 18, 2020, top-down still image captured by a camera on the rover\u2019s descent stage.<\/p>\n Perseverance is searching for signs of ancient microbial life, to advance NASA\u2019s quest to explore the past habitability of Mars.\u00a0NASA chose Jezero Crater as the landing<\/a> because scientists believe the area was once flooded with water and was home to an ancient river delta. In summer 2024, the rover collected a sample from the \u201cChevaya Falls\u201d rock which was found to have potential biosignatures \u2014 clues that suggest past life may have been present, but that require more data or further study before any conclusions about the absence or presence of life.<\/p>\n In addition to making discoveries on Mars, the rover itself is demonstrating technological advances: A new technology developed at NASA\u2019s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California enables\u00a0Perseverance\u00a0to figure out its whereabouts without calling humans for help. Dubbed\u00a0Mars Global Localization<\/a>, the technology features an algorithm that rapidly compares panoramic images from the rover\u2019s navigation cameras with onboard orbital terrain maps.<\/p>\n Image credit: NASA\/JPL-Caltech<\/em><\/p>\n Powered by WPeMatico<\/a><\/small><\/p>\n Get The Details…<\/a> NASA\u2019s Perseverance Rover approaches Mars in this Feb. 18, 2020, top-down still image captured by a camera on the rover\u2019s descent stage. Perseverance is searching for signs of ancient microbial life, to advance NASA\u2019s quest to explore the past habitability of Mars.\u00a0NASA chose Jezero Crater as the landing because scientists believe the area was once [\u2026] Continue reading
\nMonika Luabeya <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"