Flight controllers for NASA's Mars 2020 mission have returned the spacecraft to nominal flight operations. Launched on July 30 at 7:50 a.m. EDT (4:50 a.m. PDT), Mars 2020 entered a state called safe mode soon after it was placed on an interplanetary trajectory because a sensor indicated that part of the spacecraft was slightly colder …
The team controlling NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance rover has received telemetry (detailed spacecraft data) down from the spacecraft and has also been able to send commands up to the spacecraft, according to Matt Wallace, the mission's deputy project manager. The team, based at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, has confirmed that the spacecraft …
By Jim Cawley NASA's Kennedy Space Center Not obstacles, not complexity — not even a worldwide pandemic — could keep NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance rover from blasting off on its historic mission to the Red Planet. On Thursday, July 30, at 7:50 a.m. EDT, Perseverance lifted off aboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V …
See what NASA and industry leaders have to say about today's successful Mars 2020 Perseverance rover launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida — and get the latest information on the status of the spacecraft — during a post-launch news conference, beginning at 11:30 a.m. The show will be broadcast live from NASA's Kennedy …
Today's final critical milestone — acquisition of signal — has been achieved. In essence, Perseverance has phoned home to let us know it's officially on the way to Mars. "This signifies that JPL's (NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory) deep space network has locked on to the spacecraft, which is on its journey to Mars," said NASA Launch …
Just over an hour into its flight, Perseverance is now officially on its way to Mars. A key milestone — spacecraft separation — has taken place. The official call just came in: "And we have successful separation of Mars 2020 with the Perseverance rover." The final planned major event of the day is acquisition of signal, which …
Main engine start (MES) #2 is complete, as the spacecraft begins the second burn. "This is the burn that really gets us moving with fast velocity in the direction we need to go," said Mic Woltman from NASA's Launch Services Program. "MES is good, firing is nominal." Main engine shutdown is next, followed by spacecraft separation …
The Mars 2020 Perseverance rover is carrying seven instruments to the Red Planet. Here is a look at those critical instruments: Mastcam-Z is an advanced camera system with panoramic and stereoscopic imaging capability with the ability to zoom. SuperCam is an instrument that can provide imaging, chemical composition analysis, and mineralogy at a distance. Planetary …
Main Engine Cutoff (MECO), Payload Fairing Jettison (PLF), and Booster Engine Cutoff (BECO) all are complete.
The Mars 2020 Perseverance rover, powered by the United Launch Alliance Atlas V 541 rocket, has blasted off from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station! The liftoff went right on time, at 7:50 a.m. EDT.
