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The launch took place around 7 p.m. 50 min. United Launch Alliance Atlas V missile from Cape Canaveral, Florida (2:50 p.m.).
If everything goes as planned, Perserverance will hit the Red Planet on February 18, 2021, and will become the fifth Martian to make a trip since 1997.
VIDEO: NASA has successfully launched the last Martian, which will look for traces of life on Mars
All of these machines have been American until now. China launched its first Martian march last week, which is expected to reach its final goal in May next year.
By next year, three Martians could be operating on Mars at once, including Curiosity, sent by NASA, which has covered 23 kilometers on the Red Planet since its landing in 2012.
“It just came to our attention then. You wouldn’t say otherwise,” said NASA chief Jim Bridenstine before the launch on Wednesday.
“However, we know how to land on Mars, we have already done it eight times.” This will be the ninth, “he added, referring to all previous similar missions.
Developed at the legendary California Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Perseverance is an improved Curiosity model.
It’s faster, has six stronger wheels, more computing power, and can move 200m per day on its own.
The compact SUV weighing tons has 19 video cameras and two microphones, which scientists hope will allow it to record the sounds of Mars for the first time.
The new Martian also has a 2m long robotic arm and is powered by a small atomic generator.
When the plane lands, NASA will activate the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, a 1.8-kg plane that will attempt to fly in the atmosphere of Mars.
The main task of perseverance will be to search for evidence that ancient life forms may have existed on the planet.
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