Testing will continue throughout the rest of the year, until Mars 2020 ships in December to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. There, it will get bundled up for launch. The cruise stage that will house the rover all the way to Mars underwent thermal vacuum and acoustic testing in May.

In Florida, Mars 2020 will receive its nuclear power source, the Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermal Generator (MMRTG) that will supply the spacecraft with 110 watts of electricity and keep it warm on Mars. The MMRTG is currently being fueled with plutonium-238 at the Department of Energy's Idaho National Laboratory.