NASA’s Rover of Perseverance Mars fired up its deep space thrusters for the first time.
Perseverance, the centerpiece of NASA’s $ 2.7 billion Mission 2020, refinement its course to the Red Planet with a trajectory correction maneuver on Friday (Aug. 14), 15 days after the rudder for lifeboat lifts.
The maneuver, which deployed eight thrusters on the cruise stage of Perseverance – the car that takes the rover through deep space – was a success, members of the mission announced via Twitter on Friday.
Related: The Mars Perseverance rover mission in photos
My first planned Trajectory Correction Maneuver was a success. I am doing TCMs on my journey to stay on target for a February 18, 2021 date with Mars. I left Earth more than 2 weeks ago and have already set up 27+ million miles. Only ~ 265 million more to go! #CountdownToMars https://t.co/1PJU9YwxvJ pic.twitter.com/wdvVPHqPvJAugust 15, 2020
Perseverance’s mission plan calls for five trajectory correction maneuvers to erect the rover for its lying landing inside Mars’ Jezero Crater on 18 February 2021. The four remaining engine fires are scheduled to take place on 28 September, 20 December. February 10 and February 16. (There is also a spare chance on February 17th if needed, and a final window on February 18th, just nine hours before touchdown.)
Perseverance launched July 30th on a mission to search for signs of ancient Mars life in the 28-kilometer-wide (45-kilometer) Jezero Crater, which in the ancient past hosted a lake and river delta. The rover will also collect samples and memorize for potential return to Earth already in 2031.
March 2020 will also test new reconnaissance technologies. For example, a thin helicopter named Ingenuity travels to the Red Planet on the belly of the rover and will attempt the first rotorcraft flight on a world outside Earth.
In addition, one of Perseverance’s instruments, called MOXIE (short for “Mars Oxygen ISRU Experiment”), will generate oxygen from the carbon dioxide-dominated Martian sphere. An upscale version of MOXIE could one day help human pioneers gain a foothold on Mars, NASA officials said. (The agency intends to put boots on the Red Planet in the 2030s.)
Mike Wall is the author of “Out There” (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by Karl Tate), a book about the search for alien life. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or Facebook.
