Caption: 
An SwRI scientist used a new model to estimate Mars’ bombardment history. This new model indicated that some of the most prominent terrains associated with ancient water activity may be hundreds of millions of years older than previously thought, important data as NASA’s Perseverance rover prepares to land in one of these sites. The image shows a computer simulation indicating a hypothetical evolution for an early Mars heavily battered by cosmic impacts. Jezero Crater is expected to have formed near the tail end of this vigorous, early bombardment.

Credit: 
Courtesy of Southwest Research Institute