NASA’s Perseverance rover has collected a unique rock sample from the surface of Mars, which has already generated a lot of interest among scientists. This sample has been called a “unique treasure” because it contains low-calcium pyroxene, a mineral that is rarely found in the study area. The find has a special scientific value, because it was taken from the only place on the route where low-calcium pyroxene was recorded even by vehicles from near-Mars orbit.
On Perseverance’s social media page, the sample is named Silver Mountain. It has already been placed in a special test tube for possible future delivery to Earth. NASA notes that the event is a “major milestone” in the study of the geology of Jezero Crater, an area that Perseverance has been exploring since its landing on Mars four years ago.
The sample collection was made possible after the rover completed a challenging ascent of the slope of Jezero Crater. Over the past 3.5 months, it has covered an altitude of about 500 meters, stopping periodically to conduct scientific research. The main goal of the mission is to search for signs of ancient microbial life and to study the geologic history of Mars.
Now that I've completed my climb out of Jezero Crater, I'm back to #SamplingMars!
— NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover (@NASAPersevere) January 29, 2025
My 26th sample, known as "Silver Mountain," has textures unlike anything we've seen before. I've sealed the rock core in a sample tube so it can be analyzed in labs on Earth in the future. pic.twitter.com/YqEPZnDnfR
NASA is now working on the realization of the Mars Sample Return mission, which will deliver the collected samples to Earth. This task is technically complex: it requires a spacecraft to descend to Mars, collect materials, send them to an orbiter, and transport them back to Earth.
The successful completion of the Mars Sample Return mission will allow researchers to study Martian samples in laboratories where advanced equipment can accurately determine the existence of life on Mars. It will also help to better understand the geologic evolution of the planet and its potential to support life in the past.
We previously reported on how Perseverance shared amazing results after 1,000 days on Mars.
According to NASA
