As it happenedended

Nasa Mars launch: Space agency defies coronavirus and earthquake to launch Perseverance rover to red planet – as it happened

Thursday 30 July 2020 02:36 EDT

The NASA InSight spacecraft launches onboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas-V rocket on May 5, 2018, from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California (ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)

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Nasa is heading to Mars after launching a rocket from Earth today.

The space agency is sending its Perseverance rover – its strongest and smartest explorer visitor to the surface yet – to look for evidence of ancient life on the Martian surface.

The rover is carrying a helicopter that will make the first ever flight on another planet, as well as a variety of tools that will allow it to explore the surface looking for evidence of past alien activity.

The rocket is the third to take off for Mars this month, as space agencies leap through the brief window in which the planets align to allow an efficient trip to the Red Planet. The UAE launched its Hope orbiter last week, followed by the Chinese Questions to Heaven spacecraft shortly after.

The European Space Agency and Roscosmos were forced to postpone the launch of their lander, Rosalind Franklin, after delays meant it would not be able to leave in time.

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Weather looks wonderful and everything is ready to go.