From Dayton to Mars: University of Dayton researchers helped NASA plan Perseverance mission
As the Perseverance rover descended to the surface of Mars just before 4 p.m. Feb. 18, University of Dayton Research Institute scientist Chad Barklay closely watched NASA’s live feed of its Joint Propulsion Lab control room, listening for touchdown confirmation.
Exactly four years prior, Barklay and UDRI colleague and engineer Allan Tolson were also closely watching as they essentially cooked a generator similar to the one that will power the Mars 2020 rover, heating it up to temperatures never before experienced by the unit or its sister units on earth and Mars. By assessing the effects of high heat on the prototype unit, the laboratory test was designed to predict whether the Multi-Mission Radioisotope Generator (MMRTG) attached to Perseverance would continue to perform normally should it encounter unanticipated extreme temperatures during the rover s mission.
From Dayton to Mars : University of Dayton, Ohio udayton.edu - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from udayton.edu Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.