NASA's newest nuclear-powered robot is en route to Mars, where it's set to scan and drill Martian soil for signs of alien life. The rover, called Perseverance, is programmed to stash samples away so a future mission can bring them back to Earth.

"This is the first time in history when NASA has dedicated a mission to what we call astrobiology: the search for life — either maybe now, or ancient life — on another world," NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said ahead of the rover's launch.