Perseverance Rover is the part of Mars 2020 mission, which consists of a rover and a small robotic helicopter Ingenuity. It was launched by an Atlas 5 launch vehicle on 30th July, 2020. It touched Martian surface on 18th feb, 2021. It landed on Jezero crater; later NASA named that landing site as Octavia E. Butler landing (Octavia E. Butler was one of the famous American science fiction authors). In this article, we check up this rover’s findings in Mars.
Objectives
- To collect rock samples within its route which will be later fetched and brought back to earth by Mars sample return mission.
- To demonstrate O2 production from the Martian atmosphere (96% CO2), which will be helpful for future crewed missions.
- To study Martian geology, search for signs of past life and water.
Table of Contents
Science instruments on Mars 2020
The following instruments were made for each purposes, and each parts contributes the rover’s findings in mars.
Mastcam-Z
It is an advanced camera system which is called as main eyes of rover
MEDA (Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer)
It measures the weather conditions of Mars like wind speed, humidity. It can also study the dusty environment of mars.
MOXIE (Mars Oxygen In situ resource utilization experiment)
An instrument on rover which primary goal is to produce O2 from martian atmospheric CO2
PIXL (planetary instrument for X-Ray lithochemistry)
An X-Ray fluorescence spectrometer which can measure elemental chemistry at very tiny scale .
RIFMAX
It is a ground penetrating radar, which will uncover the mystery lies beneath the martian surface. It can detect ice, water or salty brines up to 10m below the martian surface.
SHERLOC(Scanning Habitable Environment with Raman and Luminescence for organic and Chemicals)
As the name says a detective up there, a spectrometer whose primary goal is to search for organics, minerals and biosignatures. It has companion too WATSON, a color camera for taking close up pictures
Supercam
It is a remote sensing instrument used to identify chemical composition of an object.
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The Major Findings
Igneous rocks
Rocks on which rover is driving since its landing is made up of red hot magma ,even before this mission it was topic of discussion whether they are sedimentary or igneous .PIXL(Planetary instrument for X-ray lithochemistry) an X-ray fluorescence spectrometer embedded on rover study and analyzed abraded patch of a rock in an area called ‘ South Seitah ‘ after that everything become clear .
Organic molecules
Though Curiosity rover launched in 2012 discovers organic at its landing site back in, perseverance takes it one step further with help of SHERLOC (Scanning Habitable Environment with Raman and Luminescence for Organic and Chemicals). This instrument has the ability to map the spatial distribution of organic molecules inside rock and then relate these to minerals found on mars. Though this will not confirm the presence of life but this confirms that biosignatures i.e. signs of life can be preserved on mars too.
Purple rocks :-
Mars is often called a red planet but perseverance has found something interesting .It spotted purple coloring in rocks in its landing area ,but it’s pattern is quite different on some rocks it is more like patches and on some more like smooth paint. This is one possible explanation for the existence of water on mars.
Extraction of oxygen from Martian atmosphere:-
As Isaac Asimov said today’s science fiction is tomorrow’s science fact , so in the history of mankind for the first time we are able to make oxygen on another planet , all thanks to MOXIE( Mars oxygen in situ resource utilization experiment) instrument which successfully completed this task on 60th sol (20th April 2021) .In first attempt MOXIE produces 5gm of O2. This will be the greatest and unique of the rover’s findings in mars so far.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. How long is Mars 2020 mission?
The planned duration is one mars year( around 685 earth days)
2. how long does it take to reach mars?
It takes around seven months to land on Mars
3. Why is rover named as perseverance?
Alexander Mather, the winner of the “Name the rover’’ contest, named it
4. where did it land on mars?
It lands on Jezero Crater.
5. which launch vehicle was used to launch the rover?
Atlas V-541 was used to launch the rover and helicopter.
6. How much equipment are there on the rover?
Seven science instruments, two microphones, and 23 cameras
7) How is the Mars 2020 mission differs from the previous mission?
The main objective of this mission is to collect rock and soil samples and put them in the tube(cache); it will be later brought back to earth by a future mission.
8)What is the name of a helicopter?
The name of the helicopter is Ingenuity
9) What is the power source of the rover?
MMRTG (Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator). It produces electric energy from the radioactive decay of plutonium-238.
10) What is the weight of the rover?
It weighs around 1025 kilograms.
Conclusion
Perseverance has completed one earth year on mars as of now. Those rover’s findings in Mars are phenomenal. It’s all equipment working correctly, though there were some hurdles in its path in last one year now rover is heading towards Jezero’s ancient delta to examine a hill called ‘Kodiak.’ Though with the help of SuperCam instrument it had taken a distant look on that part earlier in starting phase of the mission, but close up looks will be better. We wish and hope, it discovers and increases our curiosity on the learning of Mars
