This afternoon, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover successfully landed in the Jezero Crater, completing a seven-month journey to the Martian surface. Perseverance’s main objective while on Mars is to search for evidence of ancient life and collect geological samples that are expected to be transported to Earth in subsequent NASA missions. Attached to Perseverance is the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, which will be used to attempt the first controlled flight on another planet. Perseverance is NASA’s fifth Mars rover and the agency’s ninth Mars landing.
“Sending a car-size rover to plunge through the Martian atmosphere at speeds of over 12,000 miles per hour and execute a series of complex entry, decent, and landing procedures leading to a successful landing on the surface is no small feat,” said Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX). “I would like to congratulate NASA’s Mars Exploration Program, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and all the dedicated scientists and engineers who have worked tirelessly during the pandemic to make possible the Perseverance Rover’s journey to and successful landing on Mars. The successes of this mission will not only advance scientific discovery and further our knowledge for future human exploration of Mars, it will undoubtedly serve as an inspiration for younger generations to pursue a future in science, technology, engineering, and math. I also applaud NASA for broadcasting the success of this mission in the agency’s first Spanish-language program for a planetary landing. The success of our nation depends on a diverse and inclusive workforce of innovators.”
“Today years of scientific engineering and hard work are culminating in the landing of the Mars Perseverance Rover, an extraordinary achievement,” said Chairman Don Beyer (D-VA) of the Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics. “Congratulations to the women and men who made this happen – your work is inspiring younger generations in STEM and you should be proud of a job well done. This is an incredible accomplishment for the human race, and I can’t wait to see the first aircraft flight over another planet learn more about the findings from the rover.”
