The Perseverance rover on Mars has collected its 26th sample, a rock named "Silver Mountain." This sample is significant because it is the first from the Noachian period, the oldest period in Martian geological history. The sample is 2.9 cm (1.1 inches) in size and has a unique texture unlike anything previously observed. It was collected from a region identified from orbit as containing a low-calcium pyroxene unit, a type of rock that is rare on the planned rover trajectory.
The Perseverance rover is equipped with 43 sample tubes, 38 of which are used for collecting samples, and 5 are "witness tubes" that support the process. The samples are expected to return to Earth between 2035 and 2039, with NASA currently considering two return mission options. The final decision will be announced in 2026.