Exploring Mars has always been a dream for scientists and space enthusiasts alike. The recent extraction of soil samples by NASA’s Perseverance rover on March 11, from an area near the inner rim of the Jezero Crater, has stirred excitement and anticipation within the scientific community.

Located on the western edge of the Isidis Planitia plain, north of Mars’ equator, the Jezero Crater is believed to have been submerged in water for extended periods, possibly forming part of a beach. This topographical depression, spanning 45 kilometers in diameter, is speculated to have once housed the delta of a river. The data collected from this region could potentially unveil evidence of Mars’ wet past, shedding light on its habitability.

The newly extracted sample, dubbed ‘Pico Bunsen’ in homage to a peak in Yellowstone National Park, USA, is a 1.7-meter-wide, 1-meter-tall rock fragment. Researchers are intrigued by its unique texture on one side and its non-planar shape, facilitating analysis by the scientific instruments onboard the rover.

Before extraction, Perseverance scanned the sample using the SuperCam spectrometers and the PIXL X-ray spectrometer, revealing it to be composed of approximately 75% carbonate grains cemented with nearly pure silica. This composition is significant because carbonate is a mineral associated with habitability.

“This is the type of rock we hoped to find when we decided to investigate the Jezero Crater,” remarked Ken Farley from the California Institute of Technology. He highlighted that most of the minerals within the rock “formed in water.”

“On Earth, minerals deposited in water are often good at trapping and preserving ancient organic material and microbial bio-signatures,” Farley explained, adding that this rock could provide insights into “the climatic conditions present on Mars when it formed.”

This marks the 24th sample collected by Perseverance since the commencement of its mission in February 2021. The collection comprises 21 tubes containing rock cores, two with regolith, and one with Martian atmosphere. NASA noted that the rover is heading towards a location called ‘Bright Angel,’ of great interest to scientists, where they will encounter the much older rocks forming the rim of the Jezero Crater for the first time.

Subsequently, the rover will embark on an ascent to the crater’s rim, a journey expected to span several months. As for the samples obtained by Perseverance, plans are in place for their potential return to Earth through the Mars Sample Return mission. However, challenges such as cost and scheduling difficulties may jeopardize the project’s realization.

Despite the uncertainties surrounding the Mars Sample Return mission, the ongoing discoveries made by Perseverance continue to fuel excitement and push the boundaries of our understanding of the Red Planet. With each soil sample collected and analyzed, scientists inch closer to unraveling the mysteries of Mars’ past and its potential for harboring life.