The space rover, Perseverance, has safely landed on Mars. 

Thursday was a groundbreaking day for astronomers, scientists and space lovers. 

Chief Scientist of Marshall Space Flight Center, Renee Weber, said the rover is exploring the possibility of past life on Mars. 

This mission is looking at ancient lake beds. In our world, river deltas are warm and wet, and organisms live inside of them. The ancient lake beds on Mars lead us to believe there was once living things on the planet. 

Planetarium Director of the Space and Rocket Center, David Weigel, said the goal of the mission was to search for astrobiology and better understand the water environment. 

The rover will be able to explore the lake beds that we cannot see in person ourselves. 

"We're almost certain water there is ancient," said Weber. "We can see signs of that by looking at pictures of the surface of Mars that were taken from orbit." 

The data collected by the rover can be sent back remotely to those on Earth. Physical samples the rover collects will be retrieved in a future mission. 

The U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville will have a screening on Feb. 18, Perseverance Touchdown, at 7 p.m. It will look at the Jezero Crater on Mars in larger depth.