Perseverance’s Latest Mars Discovery Unveiled

NASA is set to reveal groundbreaking findings from the Perseverance Mars rover during a media teleconference at 11 a.m. EDT on September 10. The discussion will focus on the analysis of a rock sample, dubbed “Sapphire Canyon,” which was collected in July 2024. The sample was taken from rocky outcrops at Neretva Vallis, a river valley formed by ancient water flows into Jezero Crater.

The teleconference will feature key figures from NASA, including Acting Administrator Sean Duffy and Nicky Fox, Associate Administrator of the Science Mission Directorate. Joining them are Mars Exploration Senior Scientist Lindsay Hays, Perseverance Project Scientist Katie Stack Morgan, and planetary scientist Joel Hurowitz from Stony Brook University.

Since its landing in Jezero Crater in February 2021, the Perseverance rover has collected 30 samples and continues its mission with six sample tubes remaining. The rover employs various instruments, including a weather station and swatches of spacesuit material, to gather data crucial for future human missions to Mars. The teleconference will provide deeper insights into these operations and the significance of the “Sapphire Canyon” findings.

For those interested, the event will be streamed live on NASA’s website, and media personnel wishing to participate must RSVP two hours prior to the event. More information about Perseverance and its mission can be found on NASA’s official website.