20.02.21
08:58
Technology
Perseverance readies to capture fossils in Martian soil
The world got its first close-up look at a Mars landing on Friday, as NASA released a stunning picture of its newest rover being lowered onto the dusty red surface.
The photo was released less than 24 hours after the Perseverance rover successfully touched down near an ancient river delta, where it will search for signs of ancient life and set aside the most promising rock samples for return to Earth in a decade.
NASA equipped the spacecraft with a record 25 cameras and two microphones, many of which were turned on during Thursday’s descent. The river delta awash 3 billion to 4 billion years ago is just over 1 mile (2 kilometers) away. Scientists consider it the most likely place to find rocks with evidence of past microscopic life.
Another photo of Perseverance’s front right wheel, near rocks full of holes, already has scientists salivating. They’re eager to learn whether these rocks are volcanic or sedimentary.
It’s the ninth time that NASA has successfully landed on Mars and the fifth rover. Next the rover will need to drive to a location, called the helipad location, where it can drop the helicopter on the surface of Mars and roll back away from the helicopter.
Perseverance will be able to watch and record images and video of these historic flights. Ingenuity also carries two cameras and will be able to share its aerial views.
Now that the rover has landed, it can switch over to the software it will need to use while driving on the Martian surface.
TV BRICS reports with reference to Trinity Mirror.
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