School of PE Blog

Mars, our galaxy’s own "Red Planet," has captured our imagination with its unique rusted surface, and for centuries, we've looked up at the night sky and wondered about what’s beyond. This pursuit and desire to uncover what secrets Mars has to offer has driven us to develop cutting-edge space exploration technologies. A recent development in our exploration of our interplanetary neighbor is the Mars Rover Perseverance, which was launched by NASA on July 30, 2020. In this blog, we will embark on a captivating journey through this rover’s ambitious mission objectives and technological advancements, as well as reflect on the astonishing scientific discoveries it made.

The Mars Rover Perseverance is a testament to human ingenuity and determination to explore the unknown. Perseverance is tasked to explore and gather samples in the Jezero crater—in fact, its older rover cousin Curiosity has revealed that liquid water and microbes once existed on Mars. By studying Mars’ rocks, soil, and atmosphere, the Perseverance acts as an inquisitive geologist, piecing together the story of the Red Planet’s ancient past (NASA, 2020).

Not only is the Perseverance a remote geologist, but it also serves as a trailblazer for future missions to Mars by testing advanced technologies. Its mission includes evaluating the effectiveness of its landing system powered by a sky crane to ensure safe arrival on the Martian surface. The rover is also equipped with an ingenious sample caching system, enabling the robot to collect and store Martian rock and soil samples for a future sample return mission. This mission aims to bring these samples back to Earth, where scientists can conduct in-depth analyses using state-of-the-art laboratories. This would effectively create a Martian time capsule back to our home planet carrying secrets of the Red Planet.

Perseverance also carries the Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment, or MOXIE for short. MOXIE is NASA’s attempt to prepare for future human exploration on the Martian surface. This amazing device intends to generate oxygen from the vast amounts of carbon dioxide in Mars’s atmosphere.

Perseverance is not just any ordinary rover but an upgrade on the Mars Science Library’s Curiosity rover. Its six wheels, coated with rugged treads, allow it to navigate treacherous terrains with ease. This rover can efficiently and quickly cover vast distances, akin to an intrepid explorer, to explore different regions of Mars (NASA, 2020).

The entry, descent, and landing phase, or EDL, was a true test of precision and timing for Perseverance. The rover had to autonomously navigate through the Martian atmosphere, braving the fiery entry, and execute a daring sky crane landing to ensure a gentle touchdown on the surface. It was a breathtaking and daring performance, solely relying on the engineering team’s proficiency in mathematical models, simulations, and implementations.

Once on Martian soil, Perseverance’s scientific prowess can truly shine with its arsenal of advanced instruments. Among the many cutting-edge tools is the SuperCam, which can vaporize rocks and soils with a laser to remotely analyze the composition of the samples. Its Mastcam-Z provides stunning high-definition 3D images of the Martian landscape, allowing scientists and the public alike to marvel at the alien beauty of Mars (NASA, 2020).

Perseverance's discoveries on Mars have been nothing short of awe-inspiring. Its predecessor, the Curiosity rover, has revealed clear evidence of Mars' watery past with the discovery of ancient river channels and lake beds. Through this discovery, NASA has sent the Perseverance to the Jezero crater, which suggests that billions of years ago, Mars might have been home to vast bodies of liquid water, making it a potential haven for life (NASA, 2020).

Quickly, the rover discovered organic matter through its exploration. Although no definitive evidence of past life has been found yet, the discovery of organic compounds, molecules containing carbon, the building block of life, has sparked hope and ignited curiosity. Perseverance's mission is like reading the planet's memoirs, slowly uncovering the story of its past inhabitants.

Enter Ingenuity, the groundbreaking helicopter attached to Perseverance. This little rotorcraft made history as the first vehicle to achieve powered flight on another planet. With each graceful flight, Ingenuity has opened new possibilities for future aerial exploration of distant worlds.

The Perseverance mission is a testament to humanity's ability to come together and collaborate for a shared goal. Scientists, engineers, and researchers from around the world, including collaborators from the U.S., Spain, and Norway, have joined hands in this grand endeavor. This collaboration reflects the universal human spirit of exploration and the collective thirst for knowledge.

Perseverance's development and accomplishments have established a new precedent for the future of space exploration. As we continue to study Mars' geology and uncover its past, we lay the groundwork for human missions to the Red Planet.

The success of this mission can inspire humanity’s space travel to become far bigger and bolder. As we gaze upon the stars, a future where humanity not only visits other planets but establishes permanent residences beyond Earth becomes ever more achievable.

Perseverance's mission has been a testament to the resilience of our indomitable human spirit. Along the way, the rover has and will encounter challenges that test our intelligence and ingenuity. The EDL phase, for instance, was a high-stakes maneuver that had to be executed flawlessly, but in the face of adversity, we persevered (pun intended), and each challenge taught us valuable lessons.

The rover's tireless efforts have shown us that no dream is too big and no obstacle is insurmountable. The journey to Mars is a reminder that, despite the vastness of space and the difficulties of interplanetary travel, humanity's determination knows no bounds.

The Mars Rover Perseverance has created a new precedent for extraordinary voyages throughout our galaxy. From its ambitious mission objectives to its technological marvels, from its breathtaking journey to its astonishing scientific findings, Perseverance has redefined the boundaries of human exploration.

As we look to the future, Perseverance's triumph fills us with hope and inspiration. It showcases the brilliance of human ingenuity and the power of international collaboration. Our quest to explore Mars and the cosmos reflects the very essence of humanity—the unyielding curiosity that drives us to explore and understand our universe.

The Mars Rover Perseverance reminds us that we are cosmic wanderers reaching out to touch the stars. Through our endeavors, we gain not only a deeper understanding of the universe but also a profound appreciation for the fragile beauty of our own home planet, Earth.

NASA. (2020, July 30). Mars 2020 Mission Overview. NASA Mars Exploration. Retrieved July 23, 2023, from https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/mission