AmirMaqsood

August 24, 2023 How will we know if there is life on Mars? What geological clues can our Martian orbiters and rovers search for and collect samples of to return home to Earth? Stromatolites in the Pilbara region of Western Australia may hold the answer. In June of 2023, members of NASA's Mars Exploration Program, the Australian Space Agency, ESA (European Space Agency), and the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), joined together on an expedition to visit three incredible field locations containing stromatolites, fossils of ancient microbial life, and the oldest, most convincing evidence for life on Earth. Stromatolites are rock features that are usually dome or cone-shaped, and are caused by photosynthetic lifeforms precipitating minerals throughout their life cycle, while continuously climbing upwards towards their energy source of the sun. Over time these microbial communities begin to form layers of rock that rise up to form strange shapes in the geological record that cannot be formed in any other way. Could these structures be found on other planets? On Mars? As we search the solar system and beyond for biosignatures, or signs of life, it's crucial that we know as much as possible about the nature of life on Earth. Knowing how quickly life took hold on our planet, and how that life evolved over time, will help NASA scientists understand the possibilities for life on other worlds and how best to search for them. Mars and Earth may have had very similar pasts, and the surface of Mars shares many qualities with the stromatolite outcrops in Western Australia. If life could take a foothold on Earth 3.5 billion years ago, could it also have taken a hold on Mars? Learn more about the NASA Astrobiology Program: https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/ Credits NASA acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea, and community. We pay out respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today. Directed, Shot, & Edited by Mike Toillion, NASA Astrobiology Produced by Tahira Allen, NASA Featuring Eric Ianson, NASA Mars Exploration Program Dr. Mitch Schulte, NASA Mars Exploration Program Dr. Lindsay Hays, NASA Mars Sample Return & Astrobiology Dr. Martin Van Kranendonk, University of New South Wales Music by Lexin Music

NASA NASA ScienceMars Exploration ProgramSkip Navigation VIDEOS Meet the Mars Samples: Melyn (Sample 19) August 22, 2023 Meet one of the Martian samples that has been collected and is awaiting return to Earth as part of the Mars Sample Return campaign. As of early August 2023, NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover has collected and sealed 20 scientifically selected samples inside pristine tubes. The next stage is to get them back for study. Considered one of the highest priorities by the scientists in the Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey 2023-2032, Mars Sample Return would be the first mission to return samples from another planet and provides the best opportunity to reveal the early evolution of Mars, including the potential for ancient life. NASA is teaming with ESA (European Space Agency) on this important endeavor Learn more about Sample No. 19 – “Melyn,” the first sample the rover collected after climbing up onto the ancient delta formation in Mars’ Jezero Crater. The rocks in this area were deposited in an ancient river environment, as opposed to the rover’s earlier samples from the ancient lakebed. Due to a type of mineral called carbonate found in this rock, scientists believe this sample could be well-suited to record the signatures of past water history on Mars. Read about all the carefully selected samples: https://mars.nasa.gov/mars-rock-samples Learn more about the Mars Sample Return campaign: https://mars.nasa.gov/msr A key objective for Perseverance's mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover characterizes the planet's geology and past climate, paves the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and is the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith (broken rock and dust). TRANSCRIPT [music] MARS ROCK SAMPLES SAMPLE 19: MELYN TYPE: SEDIMENTARY LOCATION: BEREA, UPPER FAN RACHEL KRONYAK SCIENCE OPERATIONS - MARS PERSEVERANCE ROVER Rachel Kronyak: Sample 19 is called “Melyn,” it was collected from the “Berea” outcrop from the upper fan campaign. This particular sample Melyn is unique because it is the first sample of the upper fan campaign. It's unique also because it represents deposition in an ancient river versus in ancient lake deposits like we were seeing lower down at the Delta Front campaign. SUNANDA SHARMA ASTROBIOLOGIST - MARS PERSEVERANCE ROVER Sunanda Sharma: This sample is interesting because it has a lot of carbonate, which was exciting because we're seeing that story continued across the different regions in Jezero Crater. So we saw some variations in the crater floor than in the Delta Front and now in the upper fan. This can start to tell us about a flow that may have happened or how widespread the water was, or if the crater was filled multiple times with water, like it was filled and then dried, and filled and then dried. How would that show up in terms of diversity and region within the crater? Rachel Kronyak: This rock was deposited from flowing rivers that carried material from outside the crater into the crater and deposited them along the upper fan here. And so we're interested in learning more about where these rocks came from. And because these were carried in from river channels from outside Jezero, this is the perfect sample to answer those questions. Sunanda Sharma: This sample is part of the collection on the rover that will hopefully be brought back to Earth. NASA LOGO For more information on Mars Rock Samples: mars.nasa.gov/mars-rock-samples Credits NASA/JPL-Caltech

NASA NASA ScienceMars Exploration ProgramSkip Navigation VIDEOS Meet the Mars Samples: Atmo Mountain and Crosswind Lake (Samples 17 and 18) August 16, 2023 Meet two of the Martian samples that have been collected and are awaiting return to Earth as part of the Mars Sample Return campaign. As of early August 2023, NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover has collected and sealed 20 scientifically selected samples inside pristine tubes. The next stage is to get them back for study. Considered one of the highest priorities by the scientists in the Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey 2023-2032, Mars Sample Return would be the first mission to return samples from another planet and provides the best opportunity to reveal the early evolution of Mars, including the potential for ancient life. NASA is teaming with ESA (European Space Agency) on this important endeavor. Learn more about Samples No. 17 and 18 – “Atmo Mountain” and “Crosswind Lake,” the mission’s first samples of the Mars surface material known as “regolith.” The samples were collected from a low, wind-blown ripple and contain loose material representing a range of grain sizes such as dust, sand, and pebbles. Martian wind can carry smaller grains like this over long distances, so regolith can provide insight into the global and local landscape, all in a single “grab bag.” Read about all the carefully selected samples: https://mars.nasa.gov/mars-rock-samples Learn more about the Mars Sample Return campaign: https://mars.nasa.gov/msr A key objective for Perseverance's mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover characterizes the planet's geology and past climate, paves the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and is the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith.