Terrain-Relative Navigation has enabled the mission to select Jezero Crater as its landing site. Scientists believe an ancient river flowed into a lake there and deposited sediments in a fan shape known as a delta. Such an environment was likely to have preserved signs of any life that gained a foothold billions of years ago. But while the region has high astrobiological potential, it is also very hazardous, with dunes, cliffs and boulder-strewn areas that pose a huge challenge for landing.
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California built and manages operations of the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover for NASA.
