KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. — NASA’s Mars 2020 Perseverance team is busy analyzing data from the rover and bringing in new images from the Red Planet.
Unlike past rovers, the majority of Perseverance’s cameras capture images in color, which means we will see Mars like never before as the rover searches for signs of ancient microbial life.
Watch: NASA celebrates Perseverance rover’s successful landing on Mars
The team released footage that the rover captured of its landing on Mars on Monday. A microphone on the rover also provided the first audio recording of sounds from Mars.
See the video below:
In the audio recording, NASA said a Martian breeze is audible for a few seconds, as are mechanical sounds of the rover operating on the surface.
“For those who wonder how you land on Mars – or why it is so difficult – or how cool it would be to do so – you need look no further,” said acting NASA Administrator Steve Jurczyk. “Perseverance is just getting started, and already has provided some of the most iconic visuals in space exploration history. It reinforces the remarkable level of engineering and precision that is required to build and fly a vehicle to the Red Planet.”
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“The team is overwhelmed with excitement and joy to have successfully landed another rover on the surface of Mars,” said Perseverance chief engineer Adam Steltzner.
The rover just provided a first-ever view of the Martian landscape in full color.
But even more exciting than the images is knowing everything on the spacecraft is working as expected.
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“We’ve been waiting years for this moment and we’re finally here,” said Perseverance deputy project scientist Katie Morgan.
Now that Perseverance, and its tiny helicopter, Ingenuity, are safely on the Jezero Crater of Mars, the rover can begin its mission to search for signs of life and characterize the planet’s geology and past climate to pave the way for future human exploration.
Before Perseverance begins exploring the Martian landscape, collecting rock and soil samples for a future return mission to earth or even takes its first short test-drive, teams have work to do.
See the full report in the video above.