WASHINGTON – Perseverance rover on Thursday landed on the surface of Mars after successfully overcoming a risky ‘seven minutes of terror landing’.
Indian American scientist, Swati Mohan confirmed the touchdown operations. The six-wheeled vehicle came to rest about 2 kilometers from towering cliffs at the foot of a remnant fan-shaped river delta etched into a corner.
Touchdown confirmed. The #CountdownToMars is complete, but the mission is just beginning. pic.twitter.com/UvOyXQhhN9
— NASA (@NASA) February 18, 2021
The autonomously guided procedure was in fact completed more than 11 minutes earlier, the length of time it took for signals to return to planet Earth.
The size of the rover is equal to an SUV, while the craft weighs a ton and is equipped with a seven-foot robotic arm. It is equipped with 19 cameras, two microphones, and a suite of cutting-edge instruments to assist in its scientific goals.
The rover sent its first black-and-white images that reveal a rocky field at the landing site in the Jezero Crater.
Following the latest achievement, US President Joe Biden congratulated the team.
Congratulations to NASA and everyone whose hard work made Perseverance’s historic landing possible. Today proved once again that with the power of science and American ingenuity, nothing is beyond the realm of possibility. pic.twitter.com/NzSxW6nw4k
— President Biden (@POTUS) February 18, 2021
