Once again, NASA’s Perseverance rover has made a remarkable discovery in the course of its mission. Capturing 152 images, the rover has revealed Belva crater within Jerezo crater on Mars, giving scientists a better understanding of the Martian surface.
Nicknamed “the six-wheeled scientist,” the rover is currently on its latest mission, searching for rocks for further investigation. Using the Mastcam-Z instrument on board, new images of Belva have been obtained.
Katie Stack Morgan, deputy project scientist for NASA’s Perseverance project, notes that impact craters like Belva offer panoramic views and vertical exposures that provide important clues to the origin of the rocks, providing a unique perspective and scale.
Crater discovered by NASA’s Perseverance rover
According to NASA data, these types of craters provide similar information to what geologists find when making road cuts on highways. These constructions allow us to observe the rock layers that are not visible on the earth’s surface. In this case, the impact observed in Jerezo acts as a natural path that reveals these layers.
Was there water in the crater?
Another discovery that drew attention were the photographs taken on April 22, when the rover was positioned on the edge of the Belva crater. A rock formation called “Echo Creek”, created by meteorites, was observed, revealing the presence of “immersion beds”. These beds could indicate the existence of ancient Martian sandbanks.
For the NASA scientific community, this discovery suggests that billions of years ago there was a river channel that flowed into the lake that once occupied the Jezero crater.
Is the Perseverance rover looking for Martian life?
One of the mission’s key objectives is astrobiology, which involves storing samples that could contain hints of ancient microbial life.
“The rover will study the planet’s past geology and climate, laying the foundation for human exploration of Mars, and will be the first mission to collect and store Martian rocks and regoliths,” NASA explained.
In future missions, in collaboration with ESA, NASA will send spacecraft to Mars to collect these sealed samples from the surface and bring them back to Earth for in-depth analysis.