ASU scientists helped land rover 'Perseverance' on the surface of Mars NASA and last updated 2021-02-19 11:24:56-05 An Arizona State professor had a major role in the development of the latest rover to land on Mars. On Thursday afternoon, NASA successfully landed a rover named "Perseverance" on the surface of Mars. The rover landed in Jezero Crater, a 28-mile wide impact crater where it is believed an ancient lake and delta once sat an estimated 3.5 billion years ago. The landing, the most critical part of Perseverance's journey, was deemed "7 Minutes of Terror." Seven minutes -- the time it takes for the rover to travel from the ends of the planet's atmosphere to the ground itself.