NASA has launched an ambitious mission to Mars. A spacecraft carrying a rover named Perseverance and tons of experiments to search for signs of life blasted off this morning from Cape Canaveral in Florida. The 292-million-mile journey to the red planet will take seven months. It’s expected to land in February.
🚀 We have LIFTOFF to Mars! The @ulalaunch Atlas V takes flight with our @NASAPersevere rover. The #CountdownToMars continues as Perseverance begins her 7-month journey to the Red Planet! pic.twitter.com/3RTL1CR4WS
— NASA (@NASA) July 30, 2020
A specific window for liftoff only opens once every 26 months when Earth and Mars are in perfect positions. China and the United Arab Emirates also launched missions to Mars earlier this month.