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GSA CONNECTS 2022

Noontime Lecture: The Mars 2020

Perseverance Rover in Jezero Crater

Katie Stack Morgan
Wed., 12 Oct., 12:15–1:15 p.m.
The Mars 2020 Perseverance rover, NASA’s newest flagship Mars rover mission,
landed in Jezero crater in February 2021. Perseverance is seeking signs of ancient life
on Mars, and it is the first step of a multi-mission effort to return samples from Mars
back to Earth. During the first year of Perseverance’s mission, the rover explored a
sequence of altered, igneous rocks on the Jezero crater floor, successfully collecting
eight rock samples and one atmospheric sample. Perseverance then traversed to the
ancient delta deposit within the crater and is in the midst of exploring and sampling
sedimentary rocks with high biosignature preservation potential. This talk will review
highlights from the first year and a half of Perseverance’s mission and discuss implica-
tions for the Mars sample return effort.

Attend the Presidential Address &
Awards Ceremony at GSA Connects 2022

Support your colleagues and awardees as President-Elect Christopher M. Bailey
emcees the event. Honor the 2022 GSA Medal Awardees, Division Awardees,
new GSA Fellows, and more!

Sunday, 9 October, noon–1:30 p.m.

President Mark Gabriel Little
Address: The Past, Power, and our Future with the Earth

12 GSA TODAY | September 2022