Here's what you should know about NASA's mission to Mars 1:26
(CNN) - The Perseverance rover is finally ready to launch on its journey to Mars.
The rover is scheduled to launch on Thursday, July 30 at 7:50 am ET from Cape Canaveral, Florida. You can see it LIVE by clicking here.
So far, reports from the 45th U.S. Air Force Weather Squadron predict an 80% chance of favorable conditions for this morning's launch. The biggest concern is thick clouds.
If the rover does not launch at that time, it will be possible to do so every five minutes during a two-hour window this Thursday morning. And if the launch is delayed beyond Thursday, there is a two-week window in which Perseverance can launch and will end on August 15.
"I am exceptionally excited about what we are about to do because we are going to start the road to Mars 2020 with the Perseverance robot," said
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine during a press conference at the Kennedy Space Center. “But there is much more here. This is the first time in history that we have gone to Mars with an explicit mission to find life in another world: ancient life on Mars. ”
After traveling through space for about seven months, Perseverance will land on Jezero Crater on Mars on February 18, 2021.
