This satellite image taken from high above Mars shows the Mars perseverance Rover looking as small and isolated as ever.
NASA's Perseverance Rover glimmers in the martian cliffs like a white gumball.
Perseverance, or "Percy" to its friends, has been rolling around Mars’ massive Jezero Crater since February's death-defying parachut drop onto the Red Planet. This image was captured by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Percy pushes through South Stah's dirt to find an ancient boulder to drill into.
South Stah, which comes from a Navajo word that means "amidst the sand," NASA explains. It is located approximately 650 feet (200 m) from Percy's first successful drilling operation. This was completed in September. Percy found a boulder called "Rochette" and extracted a core sample that was thin enough to fit into a pencil. NASA researchers hope to return the sample to Earth on a future unmanned mission.
Related: Perseverance Rover collects second Mars sample (photos).
NASA scientists plan to collect rock core samples from several sites in Jezero Crater to get a comprehensive overview of Mars' geologic history and climate. This will be done back over millions to billions years. NASA stated that the mission's results could help determine whether Mars is suitable for life.
The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which celebrated its 15th anniversary in orbit earlier this month, has been quietly monitoring the Red Planet from the heights of the sky. While its main task is to search for water on Mars (past or present), the satellite doesn't hesitate to snap a few photos of its robot colleagues. The Orbiter captured a candid shot earlier this year of Curiosity's rover climbing Mont Mercou's slopes, speeding up like the Little Rover that Could.
Curiosity, NASA's Mars spacecraft, and Perseverance will be taking a break for the next few weeks as Mars and Earth move towards opposite ends of the sun. NASA states that this Mars solar conjunction occurs every two years. It makes communication between the two planets difficult.
Original publication on Live Science
