Life on Mars?
Watch Nasa footage from the red planet at scotsman.com
Nasa's Mars Perseverance rover landed on the red planet last night after “seven minutes of terror” to begin its search for traces of life.
The mission, backed by the UK government, is to explore and collect samples for future return to Earth from diverse ancient environments on Mars.
The rover – a scientific laboratory the size of a car – landed successfully on the red planet just before 9 o’clock last night following a nerve-shredding few minutes as it descended to the surface of the planet.the research destination is Jezero crater, a 28-mile-wide depression containing sediments of an ancient river delta. Researchers suggest that evidence of past life could be preserved here.
Perseverance will gather rock and soil samples using its drill, and will store the sample cores in tubes on the Martian surface ready for a return mission to bring around 30 samples to Earth in the early 2030s.
A number of UK scientists from Imperial College London and the Natural History Museum are involved in the project, supported by more than £400,000 in funds from the UK Space Agency (UKSA).
Sue Horne, head of space exploration at the UKSA, said:
"It is great to see a strong representation of UK scientists and engineers involved in the Perseverance mission.
"Over the next few years, our scientists will play a leading role in this international endeavour, from managing logistical operations to deciding which samples are to be returned to Earth.
"Perseverance will bring us one step closer to answering the question that's been on the lips of Bowie fans and scientists for the last 40 years."
The rover's instruments will analyse scientifically interesting samples. Selected samples will be collected by drilling down to several centimetres and then sealed in sample tubes and stored on the rover.
When the rover reaches a suitable location, a cache of tubes will be collected by the Sample Fetch Rover, being developed by Airbus in Stevenage, which will take them to the Nasa Mars Ascent vehicle.
Perseverance also carries the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, which will fly short distances in the first attempt at powered, controlled flight on another planet.
A successful test of the helicopter could lead to more flying probes to survey the landscape on other planets.
It will also trial technologies to help astronauts make future expeditions to Mars.
These include testing a method for producing oxygen from the Martian atmosphere and also involve characterising weather and other environmental conditions that could affect future astronauts living and working on Mars.
Perseverance was one of three space missions sent towards Mars during a July 2020 launch window.
This period occurs approximately every two years and two months and is the most economical time in which a rocket can be launched to reach its intended target.
The next window in 2022 will see the Uk-built Rosalind Franklin rover, built by Airbus in Stevenage, blast into space.
Last week saw the UAE'S Hope probe and China's Tianwen-1 – or the Quest For Heavenly Truth – enter Mars's orbit.