NASA rover successfully launches on mission to find ancient life on Mars

Perseverance is on its way to Mars.

NASA on Thursday successfully launched its Perseverance rover to Mars on an Atlas V rocket from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, CNN reports. When it gets to Mars, Perseverance is to collect soil samples to return to Earth, as well as "search for signs of ancient microbial life," according to NASA.

"This is the first time in history where we're going to go to Mars with an explicit mission to find life on another world — ancient life on Mars," NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine said.

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It's also the third launch to Mars to take place this summer, The Associated Press reports, with prior launches from China and the United Arab Emirates. If Perseverance makes it there smoothly, this would be the United States' ninth time successfully landing on Mars, AP notes. Perseverance is ultimately expected to land in the Jezero Crater on Mars in February 2021.