NASA Mars rover 'Perseverance'
Exploring water, signs of life, etc. over one Martian year
Intense Mars exploration competition among US, China, UAE, and others
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Ju-hyung] Under a hazy sky, a barren wasteland stretches endlessly without a single blade of grass. Surrounded by hills of various sizes, there is no sign of life anywhere.
This photo, which looks as if it was taken in the middle of a desert, is actually the real surface of Mars sent by NASA's exploration rover Perseverance. Having recently succeeded in landing on the Martian surface, Perseverance is set to carry out various missions such as geological surveys and sample collection over the next two years.
◆ "Unbelievable" Actual Mars Photos Sent by US Rover
According to NASA on the 19th (local time), Perseverance safely landed at the Jezero Crater on Mars, its designated landing site. Launched the previous day (18th) from Pasadena, California, Perseverance entered Mars orbit and used retro rockets and parachutes to reduce its descent speed, landing on the Martian surface without damage.
Afterward, Perseverance used its 19 cameras attached to the body to capture images of the Martian surface around 1 p.m. on the 22nd and transmitted the photos back to Earth. The photos show Perseverance standing alone on the dry land covered only with sand and gravel.
The photos were shared on NASA’s official social media channels such as YouTube. Netizens who saw the images responded with amazement, saying things like "It's unbelievably cool," "I can't believe I'm actually seeing Mars," "It looks like an ordinary desert, but thinking it's another planet makes me dizzy," and "Mars really looks like a desolate and empty world."
◆ Searching for Signs of Life for One Martian Year
According to NASA, Mars has an atmospheric pressure that is only 0.6% of Earth's, making it difficult for liquid water to be preserved on the surface. Water exposed to the air evaporates immediately.
Martian soil photographed by Perseverance. The surface of Mars is known to have very little moisture. / Photo by NASA
However, it is estimated that large amounts of water exist in the form of ice underground in some regions such as the polar areas and mid-latitudes of Mars. The area Perseverance will explore is also believed to have underground water and ice preserved. Perseverance’s mission is to investigate geological and water traces on Mars to find signs of life.
To this end, Perseverance plans to collect dozens of soil and rock samples directly over the course of 687 days, which corresponds to one Martian year. It will also use a high-performance radar capable of penetrating up to 10 meters underground to explore spaces for building an experimental base and conduct scientific experiments to convert carbon dioxide in the atmosphere into oxygen.
◆ US, China, UAE... 'Mars Exploration Competition' Heats Up
NASA has invested $2.7 billion (approximately 2.987 trillion KRW) in this Mars exploration project. However, the United States is not the only country competing in the "Mars exploration race."
Earlier, China’s space agency successfully inserted its rover Tianwen-1 into Mars orbit on the 10th. The landing attempt is scheduled for May or June.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is also accelerating its Mars exploration project. The UAE Space Agency launched a rocket carrying the Mars probe Amal last July, and on the 10th, it successfully entered Mars orbit. Amal will orbit Mars and observe the atmosphere, aiming to create the world’s first weather map of Mars.
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