Mars 2020 affordable. "Curiosity" engineering team are also involved in the rover's design. Based on the scientific objectives, nearly 60 proposals for rover instrumentation were evaluated and, on 31 July 2014, NASA announced the payload for the rover. In May 2017, evidence of the earliest known life on land may have been found in 3.48-billion-year-old geyserite, a mineral deposit often found around hot springs and geysers, uncovered in the Pilbara Craton of Western Australia. These findings may be helpful in deciding where best to search for early signs of life on the planet Mars. The following locations are the eight landing sites
Timeline of Mars Science Laboratory atmosphere. This creates wind, which in turn stirs up more dust. This results in a feedback loop that scientists are still trying to understand. NASA reported on June 20, 2018 that the dust storm had grown to completely cover the entire planet. On June 4, 2018, NASA announced that "Curiosity" ability to drill has been sufficiently restored by engineers. The rover had experienced drill mechanical problems since December 2016. On June 7, 2018, NASA announced a cyclical seasonal variation in atmospheric methane, as well as the presence of kerogen and other complex organic compounds. The organic compounds were from mudstone