Greetings from Mars.
In the wee hours of this morning SG time, NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover landed safely on the red planet after a 7-month journey from Earth.
It is a remarkable feat of science, engineering, and space exploration. This latest NASA rover builds on the success of the previous four Mars rover missions. But it was complicated by the pandemic – the many teams involved had to collaborate, construct the vehicle, and plan the mission amid COVID-19 safety measures. ‘Perseverance’ was aptly named indeed!
The rover has landed in Jezero crater, which scientists believe was an ancient lake. It is a good spot to look for evidence of microbial life that may have flourished on Mars eons ago, before the planet dried up. In its two-year mission, Perseverance will collect rock and soil samples that will eventually be returned to Earth in future missions. It will also carry out tech experiments in the Martian environment, including flying a mini robotic helicopter (this is very difficult as Mars has a very thin atmosphere, less than 1% of Earth’s).
Even in troubled times, it is important to press on with scientific endeavour, not only in areas with tangible benefits, but also where returns are not immediate or obvious. Seeking to explore and understand the world around us and beyond is vital to the human spirit, and the progress of humanity. – LHL
