Nasa Mars launch: Space agency defies coronavirus and earthquake to launch Perseverance rover to red planet – as it happened

The NASA InSight spacecraft launches onboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas-V rocket on May 5, 2018, from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California (ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)

Nasa is heading to Mars after launching a rocket from Earth today.

The space agency is sending its Perseverance rover – its strongest and smartest explorer visitor to the surface yet – to look for evidence of ancient life on the Martian surface.

The rover is carrying a helicopter that will make the first ever flight on another planet, as well as a variety of tools that will allow it to explore the surface looking for evidence of past alien activity.

The rocket is the third to take off for Mars this month, as space agencies leap through the brief window in which the planets align to allow an efficient trip to the Red Planet. The UAE launched its Hope orbiter last week, followed by the Chinese Questions to Heaven spacecraft shortly after.

The European Space Agency and Roscosmos were forced to postpone the launch of their lander, Rosalind Franklin, after delays meant it would not be able to leave in time.

Please allow a moment for the live blog to load.

[30 July 2020 14:07 · Andrew Griffin]

It's all quiet from the spacecraft at the moment, and mission controllers are anxiously waiting word from the spacecraft.

It's currently on the night side of the Earth. When it gets around the other side, its solar array can open, it can start gathering energy through light, and will acquire signal so that it can speak to its controllers back at home.

(That's expected to arrive in about seven minutes.)

[30 July 2020 14:19 · Andrew Griffin]

Signal acquired! Perseverance is officially on its way to Mars, rather than on its way from Earth.

The acquisition of signal is the last bit of the launch protest, and hearing from the spacecraft means the last bit of big risk is over.

Everything seems to be safe and good, mission controllers say. They say they're looking forward to a "quiet and boring cruise to Mars", ahead of the not-at-all boring "seven minutes of terror" that happen as the rover rushes to land on Mars at the very end, when it arrives in February.

[30 July 2020 14:26 · Andrew Griffin]

And with that, the launch comes to an end, and so does this live blog. Thanks for following along.