Photo of the NASA Perseverance rover just before it lands on Mars on February 18, 2021. -

Nasa / JPL

NASA did not lag behind.

Less than 24 hours after Perseverance's successful landing on Mars, the US space agency unveiled a photo of its rover during its descent, just before the

touchdown

.

We see the final approach to the de Jezero crater, and the rover with its six wheels, still attached by cables to its

jet pack

.

By the time the photo was taken, Perseverance was already separated from his parachute and heat shield.

With its eight retro-rockets, the jet pack allowed the rover to land smoothly.

Then the cables were released, then the jet pack left to crash a little further.

On Monday, NASA is expected to release a full video of the landing.

Perseverance carries a total of 23 cameras, and seven were active during the descent.

It will be the first time that we see a video of the approach of the red planet in high definition and with sound.

For Curiosity, NASA had only proposed an animation made of photos.

Quest of the past life

After Thursday's first black-and-white image, NASA also shared another high-definition surface image of Mars and a close-up of rocks.

Photo taken by the NASA Perseverance rover on the surface of Mars on February 18, 2021. - Nasa / JPL

I love rocks.

Look at these right next to my wheel.

Are they volcanic or sedimentary?

What story do they tell?

Can't wait to find out. # CountdownToMarshttps: //t.co/7w3rbvbyoL pic.twitter.com/H3q1M0YJAd

- NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover (@NASAPersevere) February 19, 2021

According to the researchers, the Jezero crater was arguably home to a 50 km-wide lake 3.5 billion years ago.

After having verified that all its instruments are working, Perseverance will get to work in the coming weeks and analyze rocks with its Supercam, a Franco-American instrument which can determine their chemical and mineralogical composition remotely with its laser and several spectrometers.

It is only in several months that Perseverance will begin its sampling in what was arguably the delta of an ancient river.

Scientists are looking for biosignatures, such as traces of fossilized microbial life.

Unfortunately, the analysis cannot be done on site.

The samples will be stored in airtight tubes and brought back to Earth by a future mission.

If all goes well in ... 2031. We will therefore have to wait a little to find out if life has existed elsewhere than on Earth.

Science

Perseverance on Mars: Successful landing for the rover, its quest for the past life can begin

Science

Objective Mars, but for what?

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