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2020 Mars Mission: Perseverance lands on Mars!

On Thursday 18 February 2021, just before 10 pm, the Perseverance rover will land in the Jezero crater on Mars, a 45-kilometres-wide impact basin that was filled with liquid water from a river 3.5 billion years ago.

Volcanic sand discovered on the Hekla volcano in Iceland
Volcanic sand discovered on the Hekla volcano in Iceland

© Cyril Frésillon/CBM/CNRS Images

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This site may contain traces of a fossilised life form. The primary mission of Perseverance is to collect samples that will be returned to Earth in 2031 for more detailed analysis.

France is a joint developer of the SuperCam instrument, a greatly enhanced version of the ChemCam instrument that has been operating on the Curiosity Mars rover since August 2012. This remarkable instrument will study the chemistry and mineralogy of rocks on Mars and the composition of its atmosphere. You can follow this exceptional event live from 7:45 pm on the CNRS Facebook page, and on the CNES YouTube and Twitch channels.

Until then, we invite you to take a look at our photo and video reports on the exploration of Mars, the fascinating red planet...

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Image Nasa / JPL / USGS
SuperCam, our eyes and ears on Mars

CNRS News Article

Image Nasa / JPL Caltech
A new rover to land on Mars
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After the Russian "Mars 96” mission had failed, the European Space Agency (ESA) took over the programme and created "Mars Express”. The objectives of sending this new probe to Mars are to map the planet, analyse its subsoil and study its atmosphere. It was launched on June 2, 2003 using a Russian rocket from Baikonur, Kazakhstan, the Mars Express probe reached Mars in only 7 months. Since then, the aircraft has been making a series of rotations around Mars, at the rate of one every 7 hours…

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Mars Express Mission
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For several decades, researchers and engineers have been trying to unravel the mysteries of Mars. Before humans can set foot on the planet, rovers will provide them with valuable information. Researchers from LAB and IRAP tell us about ChemCam, an instrument placed on top of the Curiosity rover to analyse the compositions of Mars rocks. After an eight-month space voyage, the robot finally landed on the Red Planet on August 6, 2012 to collect data on its different geological periods, reconstruct…

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Martians of Toulouse (The)
20160022_0040
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Deux premiers modèles de SuperCam réalisés en 2015 et 2016 : au premier plan, le STM (Structural and thermal model) et au second plan, l'EDU (Engineering development unit). A gauche du STM, il s'agit du boîtier en forme éclatée de son électronique de commande. SuperCam est une caméra laser capable d'analyser à distance la composition chimique mais aussi minéralogique des roches. En combinant ces deux fonctions, elle permettra de déterminer comment les atomes sont liés les uns aux autres. En…

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20160022_0040
Deux premiers modèles de SuperCam
20160022_0039
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Intégration finale du modèle de SuperCam qui servira pour des tests mécaniques et thermiques. SuperCam est une caméra laser capable d'analyser à distance la composition chimique mais aussi minéralogique des roches. En combinant ces deux fonctions, elle permettra de déterminer comment les atomes sont liés les uns aux autres. Il s'agit ici du modèle STM (Structural and thermal model). En 2021, cette caméra sera installée sur le prochain rover de la Nasa baptisé "Mars2020" pour étudier la…

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20160022_0039
Intégration finale du modèle de SuperCam
20160022_0038
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Test d'alignement du prototype de SuperCam, une caméra laser capable d'analyser à distance la composition chimique mais aussi minéralogique des roches. En combinant ces deux fonctions, elle permettra de déterminer comment les atomes sont liés les uns aux autres. Il s'agit ici du modèle EDU (Engineering development unit). En 2021, cette caméra sera installée sur le prochain rover de la Nasa baptisé "Mars2020" pour étudier la diversité géologique de la surface de Mars et mettre en évidence s'il y…

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20160022_0038
Test d'alignement du prototype de SuperCam
20170033_0041
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Hematite and goethite discovered in Morocco. This 9-cm rock is similar to regolith of Martian origin. It belongs to ISAR (International Space Analogue Rockstore), a unique collection of rocks similar to those found on Mars, kept at the Molecular Biophysics Centre (CBM) in Orleans. Comprising some fifty rocks, ISAR is used to test and calibrate certain space probe instruments, particularly for the study of traces of life on Mars. The collection contains volcanic and sedimentary rocks prepared in…

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20170033_0041
Hématite et goethite découvertes au Maroc
20170033_0043
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Hematite and goethite discovered in Morocco. This 9-cm rock is similar to regolith of Martian origin. It belongs to ISAR (International Space Analogue Rockstore), a unique collection of rocks similar to those found on Mars, kept at the Molecular Biophysics Centre (CBM) in Orleans. Comprising some fifty rocks, ISAR is used to test and calibrate certain space probe instruments, particularly for the study of traces of life on Mars. The collection contains volcanic and sedimentary rocks prepared in…

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20170033_0043
Hématite et goethite découvertes au Maroc
20170033_0044
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Komatiite, a volcanic rock, and spinifex texture discovered in the Dundonald formation in Ontario, Canada. This 10-cm rock, similar to a rock of Martian origin, dates back 2700 million years. It belongs to ISAR (International Space Analogue Rockstore), a unique collection of rocks similar to those found on Mars, kept at the Molecular Biophysics Centre (CBM) in Orleans. Comprising some fifty rocks, ISAR is used to test and calibrate certain space probe instruments, particularly for the study of…

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20170033_0044
Komatiite et texture en spinifex datant de 2 700 millions d'années, découverts au Canada
20170033_0046
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Komatiite, a volcanic rock, and spinifex texture discovered in the Dundonald formation in Ontario, Canada. This 10-cm rock, similar to a rock of Martian origin, dates back 2700 million years. It belongs to ISAR (International Space Analogue Rockstore), a unique collection of rocks similar to those found on Mars, kept at the Molecular Biophysics Centre (CBM) in Orleans. Comprising some fifty rocks, ISAR is used to test and calibrate certain space probe instruments, particularly for the study of…

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20170033_0046
Komatiite et texture en spinifex datant de 2 700 millions d'années, découverts au Canada
20170033_0047
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Komatiite, a volcanic rock, and spinifex texture discovered in the Komati River, in Barberton, South Africa. This 20-cm rock, similar to a rock of Martian origin, dates back 3400 million years. It belongs to ISAR (International Space Analogue Rockstore), a unique collection of rocks similar to those found on Mars, kept at the Molecular Biophysics Centre (CBM) in Orleans. Comprising some fifty rocks, ISAR is used to test and calibrate certain space probe instruments, particularly for the study…

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20170033_0047
Komatiite et texture en spinifex datant de 3 400 millions d'années, découverts en Afrique du sud
20170033_0048
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Komatiite, a volcanic rock, and spinifex texture discovered in the Komati River, in Barberton, South Africa. This 20-cm rock, similar to a rock of Martian origin, dates back 3400 million years. It belongs to ISAR (International Space Analogue Rockstore), a unique collection of rocks similar to those found on Mars, kept at the Molecular Biophysics Centre (CBM) in Orleans. Comprising some fifty rocks, ISAR is used to test and calibrate certain space probe instruments, particularly for the study…

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20170033_0048
Komatiite et texture en spinifex datant de 3 400 millions d'années, découverts en Afrique du sud
20170033_0050
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Hydrothermal chert discovered at Josefdal, South Africa. This 16-cm rock, similar to a rock of Martian origin, dates back 3300 million years. It belongs to ISAR (International Space Analogue Rockstore), a unique collection of rocks similar to those found on Mars, kept at the Molecular Biophysics Centre (CBM) in Orleans. Comprising some fifty rocks, ISAR is used to test and calibrate certain space probe instruments, particularly for the study of traces of life on Mars. The collection contains…

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20170033_0050
Chert hydrothermal découvert à Josefdal, en Afrique du Sud et datant de 3 300 millions d'années
20170033_0057
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Siderite of indeterminate origin. This 5-cm rock is similar to a rock of Martian origin. It belongs to ISAR (International Space Analogue Rockstore), a unique collection of rocks similar to those found on Mars, kept at the Molecular Biophysics Centre (CBM) in Orleans. Comprising some fifty rocks, ISAR is used to test and calibrate certain space probe instruments, particularly for the study of traces of life on Mars. The collection contains volcanic and sedimentary rocks prepared in several…

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20170033_0057
Sidérite, roche d’origine indéterminée
20170033_0056
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Magnetite crystals of indeterminate origin. This 7-cm rock is similar to a rock of Martian origin. It belongs to ISAR (International Space Analogue Rockstore), a unique collection of rocks similar to those found on Mars, kept at the Molecular Biophysics Centre (CBM) in Orleans. Comprising some fifty rocks, ISAR is used to test and calibrate certain space probe instruments, particularly for the study of traces of life on Mars. The collection contains volcanic and sedimentary rocks prepared in…

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20170033_0056
Cristaux de magnétite d’origine indéterminée
20170033_0055
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Volcanic sand discovered on the Hekla volcano in Iceland. This sand, of modern origin, is similar to a rock of Martian origin. It belongs to ISAR (International Space Analogue Rockstore), a unique collection of rocks similar to those found on Mars, kept at the Molecular Biophysics Centre (CBM) in Orleans. Comprising some fifty rocks, ISAR is used to test and calibrate certain space probe instruments, particularly for the study of traces of life on Mars. The collection contains volcanic and…

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20170033_0055
Sable volcanique découvert sur le volcan de l’Hekla en Islande
20170033_0053
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Chertified volcanic sediments discovered at Pilbara, Kitty’s Gap, Australia. This 6-cm rock, similar to a rock of Martian origin, dates back 3446 million years. It belongs to ISAR (International Space Analogue Rockstore), a unique collection of rocks similar to those found on Mars, kept at the Molecular Biophysics Centre (CBM) in Orleans. Comprising some fifty rocks, ISAR is used to test and calibrate certain space probe instruments, particularly for the study of traces of life on Mars. The…

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20170033_0053
Sédiments volcaniques découverts à Pilabara, en Australie et datant de 3 446 millions d’années
20170033_0052
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Hydrothermal chert discovered at Josefdal, South Africa. This 16-cm rock, similar to a rock of Martian origin, dates back 3300 million years. It belongs to ISAR (International Space Analogue Rockstore), a unique collection of rocks similar to those found on Mars, kept at the Molecular Biophysics Centre (CBM) in Orleans. Comprising some fifty rocks, ISAR is used to test and calibrate certain space probe instruments, particularly for the study of traces of life on Mars. The collection contains…

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20170033_0052
Chert hydrothermal découvert à Josefdal, en Afrique du Sud et datant de 3 300 millions d'années

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