Landing a mission on Mars leaves a mark.
The rover arrived on Mars wearing a belly pan, a protective panel for its sampling system.
A quick-look mosaic my team pulled together of the belly pan, now on the surface of Mars.
Im getting ready to drop the cover that protects my sampling system.
The machine will collect samples, seal them in tubes and leave them on the surface.
The equipment – including drilling gear and 43 sample containers – is located under the belly of the rover.
Perseverance arrived on Mars in February.
The belly pan drop was part of the post-landing plan.
The belly pan will end up as one more artifact of human exploration on Mars.
It’s a good thing there are no tickets for littering on the red planet.
