It seems that the world can't get enough of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)'s new rover, Perseverance.
After recently touching down on the Red Planet, the rover has been getting used to the Martian terrain, with NASA sharing some stunning photographs of its findings online.
🎉 Yesterday, @NASAPersevere safely touched down on the Red Planet. So, what’s next? To celebrate, we’re hosting a @Reddit AMA on Feb. 22 from 4-5pm ET giving you direct access to:
— NASA (@NASA) February 19, 2021
🙌 Landing day engineers
📸 @NASAMars image & sound experts
Save the date to ask your questions! pic.twitter.com/Q7q1c2G6rD
I love rocks. Look at these right next to my wheel. Are they volcanic or sedimentary? What story do they tell? Can’t wait to find out.#CountdownToMarshttps://t.co/7w3rbvbyoL pic.twitter.com/H3q1M0YJAd
— NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover (@NASAPersevere) February 19, 2021
An open horizon, with so much to explore. Can’t wait to get going. #CountdownToMars pic.twitter.com/hAaxeVGs04
— NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover (@NASAPersevere) February 19, 2021
The moment that my team dreamed of for years, now a reality. Dare mighty things. #CountdownToMars pic.twitter.com/8SgV53S9KG
— NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover (@NASAPersevere) February 19, 2021
LIVE: What's next for @NASAPersevere? Now that our rover's successful #CountdownToMars landing is complete, mission experts give a status update & describe what happens before its science mission kicks into full gear: https://t.co/mzKW5uV4hS pic.twitter.com/bUR0rI8vLr
— NASA (@NASA) February 19, 2021
In addition, NASA have recently announced that they would be holding a Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) session with the landing engineers and image and sound experts of the Perseverance rover mission on February 22nd.
Speaking at a briefing on the landing, Adam Steltzner, the Mars 2020 chief engineer, expressed his hope that the image of the rover landing would become as iconic as other famous space pictures, such as those of Buzz Aldrin on the moon in 1969, the image of Saturn seen from Voyager 1, or the Pillars of Creation taken by the Hubble Telescope.
President Joe Biden also commented on the rover's recent success, saying that its successful landing is 'a shining example of how we can meet any challenge with international cooperation and teamwork.'
The rover was one of three separate space probes controlled by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the USA and China, with the Perseverance rover being the last one to reach it.
Perseverance will collect rocks for analysis back on Earth, as well as for any potential signs of habitable conditions and microorganisms, that could prove that the Red Planet once hosted life of its own.
The rover is equivalent in size to a small car and is estimated to have cost around $2.7 billion to build.
Watch this space (no pun intended) for further Perseverance updates!
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