NASA: Perseverance rover extracts first oxygen from Mars

NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover took a selfie with the Ingenuity helicopter, seen here about 13 feet (3.9 meters) from the rover. on April 6, 2021. (Photo/NASA/JPL-Caltech)

NASA on Thursday said its Perseverance Mars rover has successfully converted some of the Red Planet's thin carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere into oxygen.

The task was carried out on April 20, the 60th Martian day, NASA said in a press release.

Perseverance, the biggest, most advanced rover ever sent into orbit by NASA, was the ninth U.S. spacecraft to successfully land on Mars.