February 18, 2021 marked a major step forward in the journey to explore Mars when NASA’s Perseverance probe successfully landed on the surface of the red planet. Perseverance’s main goal is not only to study the geology and climate of Mars, but also to search for signs of ancient life, an important task in determining the likelihood that Mars once supported life. The mission is part of NASA’s larger plan to prepare for future manned missions and open up questions about the discovery of extraterrestrial life.
Equipped with advanced scientific equipment, Perseverance began its exploration at Jezero Crater, an area that had a lake billions of years ago. Perseverance not only searches for soil and rock samples with biological signatures, but also tests new technologies to support future missions. Discoveries from Perseverance could change the way we view the red planet and its evolution, from a world with liquid water to the dry planet it is today.
Main Objective of the Perseverance Mission
One of Perseverance’s most important goals is to search for potential biological signatures on Mars. These signs may be organic compounds or samples that indicate the existence of microorganisms in the distant past. Jezero Crater, where the probe landed, is a particularly important area because previous studies have shown that this was once a lake bed and had a river flowing through it, creating ideal conditions for life to develop. if exists.
Perseverance is equipped with modern equipment such as SHERLOC (Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics & Chemicals), PIXL (Planetary Instrument for X-ray Lithochemistry) and SuperCam, which help the probe analyze chemical composition. of soil and rock and detect organic compounds. These devices help scientists identify biological signs, thereby drawing conclusions about the possibility of microbial life in the past.
Specimen Collection and Storage
An important part of the Perseverance mission is to collect samples from the surface of Mars and store them for return to Earth in future missions. Perseverance is equipped with an advanced drilling and sampling system, capable of taking soil and rock samples from different sediment layers, which may contain signs of ancient life.
These samples will be stored in special tubes and placed in strategic locations to be collected by future Mars Sample Return missions. Bringing these samples back to Earth will enable scientists to use state-of-the-art laboratories for more detailed analysis of their chemical composition, minerals and any biological signatures that may exist. .
MOXIE Technology: Oxygen Production From the Martian Atmosphere
Another groundbreaking technology tested on the Perseverance mission is MOXIE (Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment), a device capable of producing oxygen from CO2 in the Martian atmosphere. MOXIE has successfully carried out this process, opening up the potential of providing oxygen for future manned missions. This is an important step forward in mastering resources right on Mars, helping to reduce dependence on supplies from Earth.
Oxygen is not only essential for keeping astronauts alive, but can also be used as fuel for return flights. Producing oxygen right on Mars would significantly reduce the costs and risks of future manned missions, making settlement on Mars more feasible.
Ingenuity Helicopter: A Breakthrough In Flying On Mars
Along with Perseverance, the Ingenuity helicopter made a breakthrough by becoming the first flying vehicle to operate on another planet. Ingenuity has successfully performed multiple flights on Mars, demonstrating its ability to fly in the red planet’s thin atmosphere. These flights helped open up a new way to explore Mars, especially in areas inaccessible to probes.
Ingenuity is not only a technological achievement but also opens up great potential for future exploration missions. Using lightweight flying vehicles to quickly survey large and difficult-to-reach areas will help speed up data collection and discovery of important locations on Mars.
Perseverance mission
The Perseverance mission has brought many great advances in the search for signs of life on Mars. From collecting samples from Jezero crater to testing cutting-edge technologies like MOXIE and Ingenuity, Perseverance not only helps us better understand the climate and geology history of Mars, but also opens up new possibilities. new opportunities for future manned missions. Findings from Perseverance will continue to shape our understanding of the possibility of supporting life on Mars, and this mission marks an important step forward in the journey to send humans to the red planet. With advanced technologies and data from Perseverance, we are closer to answering important questions about extraterrestrial life and the possibility of human settlement on the planet Mars.
