The first steps of Perseverance on Martian soil

The rover covered its first 6 meters on Martian soil in 33 minutes. And he sent us a photo of his footprints left on the surface of the Red Planet

(Photo: Nasa / Jpl-Caltech) Even before landing, Perseverance, the NASA rover that arrived on Mars on February 18, gave the off to his show. After the video of the so-called "ditching", high definition photos of the Red Planet and audio recordings of the Martian wind, now we continue with another important milestone: Perseverance, in fact, has taken its first steps on the surface of Mars, covering about 6 meters. And, during this first locomotion test that will be used to calibrate the systems and instruments on board, he sent us another photograph showing his footprints imprinted on the red dust.

The adventure is only beginning. @NASAPersevere took its first drive on Mars. This test marks a major milestone before science operations get underway for the largest and most advanced rover yet on the Red Planet. pic.twitter.com/z5ltJ9f8ad

- NASA JPL (@NASAJPL) March 5, 2021



During the test, which lasted 33 minutes, Perseverance walked on its 6 wheels for about 4 meters, then turned 150 degrees to the left and backed for another two and a half meters. In the next tests, the rover will progressively travel longer and longer distances, until, once the instruments and systems are fully operational, Perseverance will be able to travel about 200 meters per day. The instruments that will be used to assist the first flight of the Ingenuity helicopter drone will also continue to be calibrated. "The rover's six-wheel drive has responded superbly," said Anais Zarifian, an engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). "We are now confident that our propulsion system is in place, capable of taking us wherever science takes us in the next two years."

In recent days, Perseverance has also successfully performed another test, the one in which its robotic arm, 2 meters long, was unlocked for the first time. “The first robotic arm test was a great moment for us,” commented Robert Hogg of JPL. "This is the main tool that the scientific team will use to perform a close examination of the geological features of the Jezero crater, drilling and sampling the most interesting sites."

With the first steps of Perseverance, the team of researchers took the opportunity to name the touchdown site, where the mission to Mars began, naming it Octavia E. Butler, in honor of the writer of science fiction born in Pasadena (California) and died in 2006, the first African American woman to win both the Hugo Award and the Nebula Award, and the first science fiction writer to win the MacArthur Fellowship. “Butler's protagonists embody determination and creativity, making them perfect for the Perseverance rover mission and its purpose of overcoming challenges,” commented Kathryn Stack Morgan, Project Scientist Perseverance.

The spot where @NASAPersevere began its journey on Mars now bears the name “Octavia E. Butler Landing." Groundbreaking author @OctaviaEButler is a perfect fit for this mission, as her main characters embody overcoming challenges.

📸: Ching-Ming Cheung pic .twitter.com / itgooPxpCN

- NASA JPL (@NASAJPL) March 5, 2021



“I can't think of a better person to name this historic site than Octavia E. Butler, who not only grew up alongside JPL in Pasadena, but also inspired millions with her visions of a future based on science, "added Thomas Zurbuchen of NASA." His guiding principle 'When use science, do it accurately 'is what the scientific team is all about or NASA and her work continues to inspire scientists and engineers all over the world, all in the name of a more daring and fairer future for all ”.


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Mars Nasa Perseverance Space globalData.fldTopic = "Mars, Nasa , Perseverance, Space "

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