Pardon our dust! Using its WATSON camera, our Perseverance rover took a selfie with “Rochette,” a rock from which the rover used its robotic arm to drill core samples. Perseverance has been busy exploring the dusty, rocky environment around Mars' Jezero Crater for more than 217 Earth days (that’s 211 Martian days, or sols). And the story of Mars, once flowing with lava and water, is beginning to unfold. A key objective for Perseverance’s mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will help uncover mysteries about the planet’s geology and past climate, as well as pave the way for human exploration of the #RedPlanet. Credit: NASAJPL-Caltech/MSSS #NASA #Mars #Perseverance #Astrobiology #MarsRover