Scientists gather to decide next Mars rover’s landing spot

NASA’s Mars 2020 rover is getting the rockstar treatment.

Hundreds of scientists, astronomers and Mars enthusiasts have gathered in California to battle over the most optimal location for NASA’s next red planet rover to land, which experts said will “set the stage” for the next decade of exploration.

The mission will not only search for once-habitable terrain and signs of past life, but it could also be the first step in bringing soil and rock samples back to Earth. The ambitious goal makes choosing the most scientifically-valuable landing spot all the more crucial, scientists said.

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