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Mars 2020 landing site

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May 30, 2019

Abstract-looking mix of colors, gray, purple, green along dry water channel. — This image was taken by instruments on NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which regularly takes images of potential landing sites for future missions. Image via NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU.

This is Jezero crater on Mars, the planned landing site for NASA’s Mars 2020 rover mission. Here’s how NASA described the area:

On ancient Mars, water carved channels and transported sediments to form fans and deltas within lake basins. Examination of spectral data acquired from orbit show that some of these sediments have minerals that indicate chemical alteration by water. Here in Jezero Crater delta, sediments contain clays and carbonates.

The Mars 2020 mission is timed for a launch opportunity in July/August 2020 when Earth and Mars are in good positions relative to each other for landing on Mars. That’s because it takes less power to travel to Mars at this time, compared to other times when Earth and Mars are in different positions in their orbits.

Bottom line; Image of Jezero crater, the planned landing site for NASA’s Mars 2020 mission.

Via NASA

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May 30, 2019

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Eleanor Imster

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About the Author:

Eleanor Imster has helped write and edit EarthSky since 1995. She was an integral part of the award-winning EarthSky radio series almost since it began until it ended in 2013. She and her husband live in Tennessee, where they enjoy guitar playing and singing. They have 2 grown sons.