OVERVIEW OF THE MARS 2020 MISSION PERSEVERANCE ROVER THIRD SCIENCE CAMPAIGN: EXPLORING JEZERO CRATER’S UPPER FAN

Abstract

International audienceThe objective of the Mars 2020 mission is to characterize the geologic history and astrobiological potential of Jezero crater, as well as to collect and document a suite of samples for potential future return to Earth [1]. Jezero crater was selected as the landing site for the Perseverance rover in part due to the presence of the exceptionally well-preserved “western fan” (Fig. 1). This fan was interpreted from orbiter images to be a river delta, formed in the late Noachian to early Hesperian in a lake that was once present inside the crater [2-5]. The Upper Fan Campaign is the third campaign of the Mars 2020 mission. It began in February 2023 (sol 708) with the rover’s arrival at the top of the fan front and ended in September 2023 (~sol 910) when the rover crossed into the Margin unit lining the inner crater rim (Fig. 1)