The year's final mission to Mars -- featuring NASA's most elaborate rover -- launches on Thursday&nbsp;on an astrobiology mission to look for signs of ancient microbial life -- and to fly a helicopter-drone on another world for the first time.

The rover Perseverance will follow China's rover-orbiter combo and a United Arab Emirates orbiter, both launched last week.&nbsp;Take off is scheduled for 7:50 am (1150 GMT) from Cape Canaveral, Florida on board a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket.

If all goes to plan, Perseverance will reach the Red Planet on February 18, 2021, becoming the fifth rover to complete the voyage since 1997.

Perseverance, which was developed at the storied Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, is an improved version of Curiosity.

Perseverance is slated to scrounge for evidence of past microscopic life in an ancient lakebed. NASA is teaming up with the European Space Agency to return the samples to Earth around 2031.

About the size of a small SUV, it weighs a metric tonne, has 19 cameras, and two microphones -- which scientists hope will be the first to record sound on Mars.

It has a two-meter-long robotic arm, and is powered by a small nuclear generator.

Perseverance's drill will collect around 30 intact rock cores and place them in test tubes, to be collected by a future joint US-European mission.

NASA has chosen the Jezero crater as its landing site, a giant impact basin just north of the Martian equator.

The US remains the only country to land successfully at Mars. If all goes well next February, Perseverance will become the ninth US spacecraft to operate on the Martian surface.

It is being said Perseverance is arguably the most sophisticated and most exciting of all the Mars missions.

(with inputs from agencies)

The year's final mission to Mars -- featuring NASA's most elaborate rover -- launches on Thursday on an astrobiology mission to look for signs of ancient microbial life -- and to fly a helicopter-drone on another world for the first time.

The year's final mission to Mars -- featuring NASA's most elaborate rover -- launches on Thursday on an astrobiology mission to look for signs of ancient microbial life -- and to fly a helicopter-drone on another world for the first time. The rover Perseverance will follow China's rover-orbiter combo and a United Arab Emirates orbiter, both launched last week. Take off is scheduled for 7:50 am (1150 GMT) from Cape Canaveral, Florida on board a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. If all goes to plan, Perseverance will reach the Red Planet on February 18, 2021, becoming the fifth rover to complete the voyage since 1997. Perseverance, which was developed at the storied Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, is an improved version of Curiosity. Perseverance is slated to scrounge for evidence of past microscopic life in an ancient lakebed. NASA is teaming up with the European Space Agency to return the samples to Earth around 2031. About the size of a small SUV, it weighs a metric tonne, has 19 cameras, and two microphones -- which scientists hope will be the first to record sound on Mars. It has a two-meter-long robotic arm, and is powered by a small nuclear generator. Perseverance's drill will collect around 30 intact rock cores and place them in test tubes, to be collected by a future joint US-European mission. NASA has chosen the Jezero crater as its landing site, a giant impact basin just north of the Martian equator. The US remains the only country to land successfully at Mars. If all goes well next February, Perseverance will become the ninth US spacecraft to operate on the Martian surface. It is being said Perseverance is arguably the most sophisticated and most exciting of all the Mars missions. (with inputs from agencies)

Final Mars mission of 2020, NASA's Perseverance rover, set for launch

NASA on Thursday launched the rover Perseverance to Mars from Cape Canaveral, Florida&nbsp;on board a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket.

Perseverance is set to reach Mars on February 18&nbsp;next year becoming the fifth rover to complete the voyage since 1997.

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The rocket has separated from the first stage and is being boosted to orbit by the Centaur second stage. <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAPersevere?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASAPersevere</a> is now preparing for a second burn that will put it on a trajectory towards Mars. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CountdownToMars?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CountdownToMars</a> <a href="https://t.co/MBRqcxMTdw">pic.twitter.com/MBRqcxMTdw</a>
— NASA (@NASA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1288806326815133696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/how-nasas-ingenuity-helicopter-will-help-perseverance-rover-in-mars-317017#mars-helicopter-317006">See Pics:&nbsp;How NASA's Ingenuity helicopter will help Perseverance rover in Mars&nbsp;</a>

The mission will search for life on Mars. The rover will also have a state of the art mini helicopter named Ingenuity which will attempt to fly in Mars.

The mission of the helicopter is to find signs of ancient life forms in the red planet.

"We have a history of doing amazing things in the most challenging times, and this is this is no different," NASA chief Jim Bridenstine said.

NASA on Thursday launched the rover Perseverance to Mars from Cape Canaveral, Florida on board a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. Perseverance is set to reach Mars on February 18 next year becoming the fifth rover to complete the voyage since 1997.

NASA on Thursday launched the rover Perseverance to Mars from Cape Canaveral, Florida on board a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. Perseverance is set to reach Mars on February 18 next year becoming the fifth rover to complete the voyage since 1997. The rocket has separated from the first stage and is being boosted to orbit by the Centaur second stage. @NASAPersevere is now preparing for a second burn that will put it on a trajectory towards Mars. #CountdownToMars pic.twitter.com/MBRqcxMTdw — NASA (@NASA) July 30, 2020 × See Pics: How NASA's Ingenuity helicopter will help Perseverance rover in Mars The mission will search for life on Mars. The rover will also have a state of the art mini helicopter named Ingenuity which will attempt to fly in Mars. The mission of the helicopter is to find signs of ancient life forms in the red planet. "We have a history of doing amazing things in the most challenging times, and this is this is no different," NASA chief Jim Bridenstine said.

NASA's Perseverance rover with Ingenuity helicopter blasts off from Florida on way to Mars

A piece of Martian meteorite will go back to Mars with NASA's robot rover Perseverance. The ancient rock has been donated by the Natural History Museum in London and the rover carrying it will be propelled towards the red planet on a seven-month journey after its launch on Thursday.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/fungus-found-in-chernobyl-could-protect-humans-from-deadly-radiations-on-mars-316186" hreflang="en">Fungus found in Chernobyl could protect humans from deadly radiations on Mars</a>

According to space engineers, the rock will be used to calibrate detectors onboard the robot rover Perseverance after it lands and begins its search for signs of past life on the planet.

Professor Caroline Smith, the Natural History Museum’s principal curator of meteorites, said: “When you turn on instruments and begin to tune them up before using them for research, you calibrate them on materials that are going to be like the unknown substances you are about to study. So what better for studying rocks on Mars than a lump that originated there?”

Smith, who is also a part of the Mars 2020 science team, said that the scientists were confident that the rock they were returning was originated on the planet (Mars). “Tiny bubbles of gas trapped inside that meteorite have exactly the same composition as the atmosphere of Mars, so we know our rock came from there.”

According to the Natural History Museum in London, the Martian meteorite was created when an asteroid or comet hit the red planet about 600,000 to 700,000 years ago. The impact sprayed the debris into space. One of the pieces in the debris moved around the solar system, eventually crashing on to Earth.&nbsp;

The meteorite, now called the Sayh al Uhaymir 008 or SAU 008 was discovered in Oman in 1999 and have been in London's Natural History Museum since then.&nbsp;

The Perseverance rover has been fitted with a high-precision laser called Sherloc. This instrument will be used to decipher the chemical composition of rocks and determine if they might contain organic materials that indicate life once existed or still exists on Mars. This mission has included SAU 008 to ensure this is done with maximum accuracy.

“The piece of rock we are sending was specifically chosen because it is the right material in terms of chemistry, but also it is a very tough rock,” added Smith. “Some of the Martian meteorites we have are very fragile. This meteorite is as tough as old boots.”

A piece of Martian meteorite will go back to Mars with NASA's robot rover Perseverance. The ancient rock has been donated by the Natural History Museum in London and the rover carrying it will be propelled towards the red planet on a seven-month journey after its launch on Thursday.

A piece of Martian meteorite will go back to Mars with NASA's robot rover Perseverance. The ancient rock has been donated by the Natural History Museum in London and the rover carrying it will be propelled towards the red planet on a seven-month journey after its launch on Thursday. Also read: Fungus found in Chernobyl could protect humans from deadly radiations on Mars According to space engineers, the rock will be used to calibrate detectors onboard the robot rover Perseverance after it lands and begins its search for signs of past life on the planet. Professor Caroline Smith, the Natural History Museum’s principal curator of meteorites, said: “When you turn on instruments and begin to tune them up before using them for research, you calibrate them on materials that are going to be like the unknown substances you are about to study. So what better for studying rocks on Mars than a lump that originated there?” Smith, who is also a part of the Mars 2020 science team, said that the scientists were confident that the rock they were returning was originated on the planet (Mars). “Tiny bubbles of gas trapped inside that meteorite have exactly the same composition as the atmosphere of Mars, so we know our rock came from there.” According to the Natural History Museum in London, the Martian meteorite was created when an asteroid or comet hit the red planet about 600,000 to 700,000 years ago. The impact sprayed the debris into space. One of the pieces in the debris moved around the solar system, eventually crashing on to Earth. The meteorite, now called the Sayh al Uhaymir 008 or SAU 008 was discovered in Oman in 1999 and have been in London's Natural History Museum since then. The Perseverance rover has been fitted with a high-precision laser called Sherloc. This instrument will be used to decipher the chemical composition of rocks and determine if they might contain organic materials that indicate life once existed or still exists on Mars. This mission has included SAU 008 to ensure this is done with maximum accuracy. “The piece of rock we are sending was specifically chosen because it is the right material in terms of chemistry, but also it is a very tough rock,” added Smith. “Some of the Martian meteorites we have are very fragile. This meteorite is as tough as old boots.”

Martian rock to be sent back to Mars in NASA's rover mission after 700,000 years

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