NASA announced Thursday that its next rover mission to Mars will carry a pair of panoramic cameras designed and operated by scientists at Arizona State University.
Jim Bell, a professor in ASU’s School of Earth and Space Exploration, will be the principal investigator for the instrument.
The unnamed Mars rover, scheduled to launch in 2020, will carry seven instruments, NASA announced. In addition to analyzing surface and subsurface features of the Mars, the rover will also gather samples for return to Earth in a subsequent mission.
"Bell has been responsible for the science imaging systems onboard the NASA Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity, and is the deputy P.I. of the color cameras on the Curiosity rover," according to an ASU press release.
