The past twenty years of Mars Exploration has led scientists at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to believe that Mars is an evolving planet that is worthy of exploration. This prompted the creation of the Mars 2020 rover, a Mars exploration vehicle that was, according to the NASA website, “designed to better understand the geology of Mars and seek signs of ancient life.” This exploration is important work as it is imperative in the evolution of human discovery on other planets. These discoveries will be exhibited through the rock and soil samples that the rover will gather for NASA scientists. The rover, whose name will be chosen from a list suggested by K-12 students, is expected to launch in July or August of 2020. It will land on February 18, 2020, and will spend 2 Earth years exploring the region of its landing. The rover, which follows its predecessor the Curiosity rover, has new and improved technology including a new autonomous navigation system that is designed for intense terrain. Those interested in the project can find more information, including an active countdown to launch, on NASA’s Mars website.
