Nasa's Perseverance Successfully Captures 1st Martian Soil Sample

Nasa's Perseverance rover successfully captured the first-ever sample from Mars' soil, Sputnik reported on Wednesday.

The leading astronomical research agency announced the news by releasing an official statement on Perseverance's mission Twitter account, saying: "I’ve now captured, sealed, and stored the first core sample ever drilled on another planet, in a quest to return samples to Earth."

https://twitter.com/NASAPersevere/status/1435023904657928192

Regarding the size of the sample, Nasa added in a full press statement posted on its official website that it is thicker than a pencil. In addition, it is now enclosed in an airtight titanium sample tube to preserve it on its way back to Earth.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson commented on the agency's historic milestone, saying: “NASA has a history of setting ambitious goals and then accomplishing them, reflecting our nation’s commitment to discovery and innovation."

He added: “This is a momentous achievement and I can’t wait to see the incredible discoveries produced by Perseverance and our team.”

It is planned that the number of collected samples from the Martian soil will reach 43 samples from several parts including the Jezero region. Scientists believe that Jezero was an old habitat for micro creatures, so the soon-to-be-collected samples would help scientists to understand the geological history of the Red Planet.

It is worthy to mention that the Perseverance probe's mission started on July 30, 2020, and it successfully landed on Mars' surface on February 18, 2021.

The probe carried dozens of phenomenal devices that made it achieve several historical milestones such as recording the earliest audio clips on Mars and launching its astronomical helicopter on Mars to be the first object that conducts a flight in the history of the Red Planet.

https://youtu.be/M4tdMR5HLtg