NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover
Today I witnessed history. Now you can too. You’re watching video of the #MarsHelicopter’s first flight – a true “Wright brothers” moment. Watch it all unfold: ✅ Spin-up ✅ Takeoff ✅ Hover ✅ Turn ✅ Landing Read more: https://t.co/FIsf5RfHGj
A year ago, I watched this little adventurer take its first short hop into the history books. We planned for maybe a few weeks of basic flight tests. Who knew the #MarsHelicopter would still be zipping along, helping inform where I go next? Keep soaring, Ingenuity!
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Truly fascinating. I zoomed in with my Mastcam-Z camera on a Phobos solar eclipse. This detailed video can help scientists on my team better understand the Martian moon’s orbit and how its gravity affects the interior of Mars, including its crust & mantle. https://t.co/jVdJ4UwhDx
A skydiver is only as good as their equipment – and this gear worked beautifully! Thanks to the #MarsHelicopter Ingenuity for capturing these new aerial views of my parachute and backshell:
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NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover
My team has spotted something unexpected: It’s a piece of a thermal blanket that they think may have come from my descent stage, the rocket-powered jet pack that set me down on landing day back in 2021.
That shiny bit of foil is part of a thermal blanket – a material used to control temperatures. It’s a surprise finding this here: My descent stage crashed about 2 km away. Did this piece land here after that, or was it blown here by the wind?
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NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover
That shiny bit of foil is part of a thermal blanket – a material used to control temperatures. It’s a surprise finding this here: My descent stage crashed about 2 km away. Did this piece land here after that, or was it blown here by the wind?
Here’s part of the team at JPL that wrapped me up in thermal blankets. Think of them as spacecraft dressmakers. They work with sewing machines and other tools to piece together these unique materials.
More on that here: https://t.co/CNkUheYFnQ
More on that here: https://t.co/CNkUheYFnQ
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From earlier, distant views, my team nicknamed this area “the bacon strip.” (My overhead map shows why.) Now that I’m up on top, we’re calling it “Hogwallow Flats” – and the nearby rocks are a sight to behold. My team is happy as pigs in mud(stone)!
Map: https://t.co/SEbqOKoQq1
Map: https://t.co/SEbqOKoQq1
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NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover
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I mean, take a look at some of these close-ups. Tons of potential targets for study. Paradise for rock nerds like myself.
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Twenty-five years ago today, a true pioneer touched down. Sojourner proved we could drive on Mars; each rover since has done true overland exploration. I’m the fifth in this line, collecting samples that could one day return to Earth and rewrite history. Onward.
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Do I geek out about cool-looking sandstone? You bet.
A shallow scouring with my drill’s abrasion bit shows this rock has veins of lighter material inside. Could it hold clues about ancient life? Time for more #SamplingMars.
More on “Yori Pass”: go.nasa.gov/3AnIv4Q
A shallow scouring with my drill’s abrasion bit shows this rock has veins of lighter material inside. Could it hold clues about ancient life? Time for more #SamplingMars.
More on “Yori Pass”: go.nasa.gov/3AnIv4Q
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