December 23, 2024

We Asked a NASA Scientist: What’s It Like Landing on Mars? [Video]

By NASA
December 29, 2021

Its an extreme, challenging, and interesting series of occasions. NASAs most current Mars rover, Perseverance, slowed from nearly 13,000 miles an hour to a soft landing on the surface area in about seven minutes. It involved a parachute, thrusters, and even a sky crane.

When NASAs Perseverance Mars rover descended towards the Red Planet, it was decked out with temperature and pressure sensing units that collected crucial information about entry and landing conditions. NASA engineer Alex Scammell tells us more.

Animation of NASAs Mars Perseverance Rover landing on Mars. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
When NASAs Perseverance Mars rover descended towards the Red Planet, it was decked out with temperature level and pressure sensing units that collected critical information about entry and landing conditions. NASA engineer Alex Scammell informs us more.

But the bulk of that deceleration was triggered by the Martian environment developing drag on the rovers heat guard which heat shield went through a lot to keep the spacecraft safe.
Understanding what the heat shield experienced during entry can assist us create more effective heat guards for future objectives. Thats why we set up MEDLI2, a set of temperature level and pressure sensing units spread across the within the heat shield that determined the severe conditions experienced throughout Perseverances descent to Mars.
With the data gathered from MEDLI2, well be able to enhance sizing forecasts for future heat guards and save spacecraft mass for scientific instruments, materials and even humans.
So, whats it like landing on mars? Its hot and very challenging whichs why were working hard to make the process better for future objectives.

NASAs most recent Mars rover, Perseverance, slowed from nearly 13,000 miles an hour to a soft landing on the surface area in about 7 minutes.