NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover, tasked with searching for signs of ancient life on the Red Planet, has an unexpected companion named “Dwayne.”

 

 

 

 NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover, tasked with searching for signs of ancient life on the Red Planet, has an unexpected companion named “Dwayne.”

This rock, nestled in one of the rover’s wheels, has been playfully named after actor and WWE champion Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.

“Hi, little fella. Looks like I’ve picked up another rock friend that my operations team has named Dwayne,” the Perseverance social media team tweeted. “My wheels pick up rocks from time to time. They’re harmless and will eventually fall out as I drive around. Until then, it’s nice to have a companion with me.”