Maple Heights native plays role in successful Mars Perseverance Rover mission Carl Sandifer, a Maple Heights native, helped design the Radioisotope Power System that can run the Mars rover for up to 14 years. Author: Brandon Simmons Updated: 7:12 PM EST February 18, 2021 MAPLE HEIGHTS, Ohio — Once again, the incredible team of engineers and support staff at NASA were able to pull off what was once an impossible feat – landing a rover on Mars. It’s a daunting mission that requires several years of preparation and a 7-month long trip to the red planet to see if all the work pays off. On Thursday, the success rate for landing on Mars got a little bit better. In part, you can thank a Maple Heights native helped make this mission and others a success.