NASA’s Perseverance rover is busy taking something unique and never before seen on another world forward, starting with “building” the first sample repository on Mars. An important stage in the NASA-ESA “Mars Sample Return” campaign, which will ensure greater knowledge of the planet. Let’s watch the video simulation together.
Previously we had already told you about the important construction work that Perseverance would be engaged in, well, that day has arrived. Indeed, on December 21 a titanium tube containing a sample of Martian rock was perfectly located on the surface of the Red Planetkicking off the creation of the first “repository” of materials on another planet.
Perseverance has already taken many selected rock samples, keeping 17 of them in its “belly”, including an atmospheric sample. In the next two months, the rover will deposit a total of 10 tubes to a specific location, called “Three Forks”, to then be picked up by a future robotic lander.
The lander, in turn, will use a robotic arm to place the samples into a containment pod, aboard a small rocket, which will lift off the planet into orbit, where another spacecraft will eventually capture the sample container. to return him safely to Earth. (Find the splendid simulation of the entire mission in the attached video)
Dr. Rick Welch, Perseverance deputy project manager at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California, said: “Seeing our first champion on land it is a great milestone for our first period of missionwhich will end on January 6, 2022″.
Speaking of the Red Planet, do you know how long it takes to get to Mars? Maybe in the future, our descendants will be able to make a similar journey in a simple and daily way. As for us to take the plane. That would be great right?
Image credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
