The Mars Rover landing 2021 has dominated headlines, and even Chris Evans couldn t help but react.
NASA s Perseverance rover, which is considered to be the most advanced astrobiology laboratory sent to another planet, has landed safely on Mars on a mission to search for past life in the so-called Red Planet.
Percy, the spacecraft affectionately called at NASA s mission control, sent back first images of the landing site immediately after it touched down. The images showed the rover s shadow on the surface of Jezero Crater, which is known to be a river before.
Chris Evans, a Space Nerd for Mars Rover Landing 2021
NASA s Perseverance rover lands on Mars to look for signs of life
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (WPVI) A NASA rover has landed on Mars on Thursday afternoon in an epic quest to bring back rocks that could answer whether life ever existed on the red planet.
The space agency says the six-wheeled Perseverance hurtled through the thin, orange atmosphere and settled onto the surface Thursday in the mission s riskiest maneuver yet. Mars has long been a deathtrap for incoming spacecraft. Perseverance will collect geological samples that will be brought back to Earth in about a decade to be analyzed for signs of ancient microscopic life.
But this time around, Nasa will be investigating a different crater, near the planet s equator.
The rover landed in a nice, flat spot , according to the landing team leader, Allen Chen, who confirmed that the rover was safe and ready to go. We did successfully find that parking lot and have a safe rover on the ground, he said. I couldn t be more proud of my team for doing that.
Mars landing video: Watch the moment Perseverance lands on Mars - touchdown confirmed (Image: Twitter (@NASAPersevere))
Perseverance landed at 8.55pm on Thursday night, which was greeted by a chorus of cheers in the Nasa control room.
Live coverage as NASA s Perseverance rover descends to the surface of Mars, one more step toward human exploration of the Red Planet. NASA says hundreds of critical events must execute perfectly and exactly on time for the rover to land safely.
If the rover lands, it will search for ancient microbial life, study Mars past climate and collect sediment for the first time that will eventually return to Earth.