Perseverance has landed… and it was a smooth one.
The most sophisticated Mars rover landed Thursday afternoon after a seven-month trek through space. The smooth landing came after the “seven minutes of terror,” where an atmospheric entry and parachute-assisted descent helped the rover land safely.
“Touchdown confirmed! Perseverance is safely on the surface of Mars, ready to begin seeking the signs of past life,” exclaimed NASA engineer Swati Mohan.
The rover – weighing 2,200 pounds – will explore Jezero Crater, the site of an ancient lake that existed nearly four billion years ago. The rover will search for microfossils in the soil and rocks in the area. The images captured by Perseverance will be sent back to NASA for evaluation, as teams on Earth will go through a variety of inspections, software downloads and other information.
As the study continues for history on Mars, Perseverance will collect samples of various items on the planet – items that will eventually be returned to Earth by the 2030s.
Perseverance did not travel alone. A four-pound helicopter – Ingenuity – was on the flight as well. The copter will be powered through solar panels in preparation for its first flight on the Red Planet.
One of the biggest feats of Perseverance will be the capture of sound from Mars.
NASA expects Perseverance’s surface mission to last about one Martian year, or two Earth years.
The MCCSC school board has interviewed six candidates for the District 5 board seat after the passing of board member and WGCL broadcaster Keith Klein.
Tuesday evening the candidate were part of a virtual work session. Each candidate was asked a variety of questions related to the board, their communication style and other matters.
The candidate list includes:
- Steve Hinnefeld
- Melanie Davis
- Erin Cooperman
- Kathleen Field
- Deborah Myerson
- Lucy Fischman
A requirement of the candidates is to live in District 5. The person who fills the seat will serve the remainder of Keith Klein’s term, through 2024.
The selected candidate will take the oath of office on Tuesday, February 23 at the next regular board meeting.
