NASA Is Ready to Start Building Its Life-Hunting 2020 Mars Rover

NASA's life-hunting 2020 Mars rover has cleared an extensive review process and is now ready to begin the final design and construction phase, agency officials announced today (July 15). If all goes according to plan, the six-wheeled robot will blast off in August 2020, touch down in February 2021 in a yet-to-be-determined spot, and then explore the Martian surface for at least two years, mission team members said. "While we're there, the major scientific objective of the mission is to seek the