Perseverance's Backup Rock Sample Tubes Placed on Mars Surface

NASA's Perseverance rover is collecting a diverse set of scientifically curated samples that could help scientists answer the question of whether ancient life ever arose on the Red Planet. On Jan. 29, 2023, the Perseverance rover placed a 10th sample tube on the surface of Mars, providing the NASA-ESA Mars Sample Return campaign a backup option to recover rock and soil samples for potential return to Earth in the future. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ESA; WATSON images: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS; Mastcam-Z images: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS