NASA’S next Mars rover will have nearly two dozen cameras

instrument is situated in the rover’s head-like mast.)

Mastcam-z will be able to take more 3D images than Curiosity’s Mastcam, potentially allowing mission scientists using 3D images at high resolution could pay off in a big way.

“They’re useful for both long-range and near-field science targets.” engineering cameras, which will help the rover team navigate and avoid potentially hazardous obstacles.

All of the engineering cameras aboard Spirit, Opportunity and Curiosity have taken pictures in black and white.

But Mars 2020’s cameras will capture high-resolution color images, with a wider field of view.

Colin Mckinney of JPL, the product-delivery manager for the new rover’s engineering cameras, said, “Our previous Navcams [navigation cameras] would snap multiple pictures and stitch them together.

“With the wider field of view, we get the same perspective in one shot.”

All of this high-tech gear should help Mars 2020 complete its mission, the main goals of which are hunting for signs of possible past Mars life and collecting and storing samples for future return to Earth.

Mars 2020 is also designed to help pave the way for future human missions to the Red Planet.

For example, the rover will carry an instrument called MOXIE (short for Mars Oxygen In-situ resource utilization Experiment) that will produce oxygen from carbon dioxide in the Red Planet’s air.