14
0

NASA’s Perseverance Rover Begins Its Exploration Of Mars

14
Reading Time: 2 minutes

he US space agency’s Perseverance rover has wiggled its wheels and undertaken its first Martian drive.

It didn’t move far – just 6.5m (21ft) in total. But Nasa’s deputy project scientist Katie Stack Morgan said it was a significant moment. “While the rover is still doing a lot of engineering checkouts, the minute ‘the rubber’ begins to move we can consider ourselves explorers on the surface of Mars,” she told BBC News. It’s two weeks now since the one-tonne robot made its dramatic descent to the Red Planet. Engineers have spent the time commissioning the vehicle and its many complex systems, including its instruments and robotic arm.

Everyone, however, has been waiting for Perseverance to start rolling. It happened on Thursday. The robot went forward a short way, spun on the spot 150 degrees, and then backed up a bit.

“You can see the wheel tracks that we left on Mars; I don’t think I’ve ever been happier to see wheel tracks,” said Perseverance mobility engineer Anais Zarifian.

“This is just a huge milestone for the mission and the mobility team. We’ve driven on Earth but driving on Mars – that’s the ultimate goal, and just so many people have worked towards this very moment for years.”

Wheel tracks

Isolated delta remnant

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.