NASA celebrates Perseverance’s 100th day (100 sols) on our planetary neighbour. The vehicle-sized rover and its little bold companion, Ingenuity, arrived inside Mars’ Jezero Crater on February 18. Since then, the robotic duo reached several milestones, including the first controlled flight on another planet. Curious to find out about the recent achievement?
Here is what you need to know.
100 Martian Days Filled With Courage and Adventure
Back in February, we all waited patiently for the first news about Perseverance’s arrival on the Red Planet. 100 days later, and we’re still amazed about the rover’s successful mission and what’s next to come.
Breathtaking challenges: 100 days to remember
Perseverance succeeded in testing all of its scientific devices and cameras, shot the first real audio on Mars, generated oxygen from the CO2-dominated Martian atmosphere, and sent back home over 75,000 pictures.Â
In 100 days, the car-sized rover started travelling to its first exploration area, where a new chapter will soon begin. And, its little companion, the Ingenuity helicopter, had also proved its skills.
Last week, Ingenuity made its sixth flight on Mars. And even if it was troubled by an issue, the little helicopter had successfully continued its mission.
Mission on Mars Continues: What to Expect
As per NASA’s recent statement, 100 sols are only the beginning because more adventure and challenges await. The rover is currently focusing on its science mission, which will most likely last one Mars year (687 Earth days).
Perseverance will have to search for any signs of ancient Martian life and collect and safely keep enough samples for its way back home.
As for Ingenuity, things will be pretty challenging, too. The Mars helicopter has enrolled upon a prolonged mission to show rotorcraft’s skills to serve as scouts for human explorers and future Mars rovers.
Mars’ Jezero Crater is the perfect place to do all of that. However, as great as this could be, that doesn’t mean it’s not dangerous for both the rover and its companion. So we’ll keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best news soon!