Thales Laser on Mars 2020 Mission: Three Days to Touchdown On 18 February, when the Perseverance rover lands on Mars, the Thales laser will enter service as part of SuperCam, the 'eyes' of the rover, to determine the chemical and organic composition of Martian rock samples. The Thales laser at the heart of the SuperCam instrument, which is even more powerful than the laser that has been operating for the last eight years on the Curiosity mission, will help to look for potential signs of life on the Red Planet. On 18 February, the Perseverance rover a key component of the Mars 2020 mission will touch down on the Red Planet after a long seven-month voyage. SuperCam, one of seven strategic onboard instruments, is a powerful combination of technologies designed to analyse, characterise and select Martian rock samples. SuperCam is the result of close collaboration between