This is the new robot that will explore Mars 3:41
(CNN) -
Perseverance,
NASA's most sophisticated
rover yet
, is expected to
land on the surface of Mars on Thursday, February 18, around 3:55 p.m. Miami time.
The
rover
has been traveling through space since its launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, in late July 2020. By the time it reaches Mars, Perseverance will have traveled more than 470 million kilometers on its way from Earth.
Perseverance is the first NASA mission to search for signs of ancient life on another planet to help answer the big question: was there ever life on Mars?
The
rover will
explore Jezero Crater, the site of an ancient lake that existed 3.9 billion years ago, and look for microfossils in the rocks and soil there.
Along with the Perseverance mission there is an experiment of flying a helicopter - called Ingenuity - for the first time on another planet.
He arrived from Colombia without knowing English and today he takes NASA's Perseverance to Mars: the story of Diana Trujillo
Jezero, the Martian crater that NASA will explore 1:00
Unfortunately, we cannot see the SUV, which is the size of an SUV, descend on the surface of Mars;
we are simply not there yet, technologically speaking.
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But NASA is inviting the world to tune in to its countdown and landing commentary, which will air live beginning Thursday at 2:15 p.m. Miami time.
Tune in through NASA's public television channel, website, app, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitch, Daily Motion, or THETA.TV.
Landing of the r
over
Perseverance
For the first time, the agency will also offer a show in Spanish for the landing.
During coverage of the descent, NASA's mission control team will be able to confirm whether the
rover
landed safely on the surface of Mars.
Naturally, the space exploration vehicle has its own Twitter and Facebook accounts, where you can expect updates from the mission team from the
rover's
perspective
.
And you can bet that Curiosity and the InSight lander will welcome Perseverance to their home, the red planet.
Rover Perseverance is coming to Mars: how was your preparation and what's next?
Jezero, the Martian crater that NASA will explore 1:00
The agency has fun ways to get in on the excitement of the countdown, like photo booths and activities for kids and students.
You can also follow each step of the
rover
landing
through a NASA interactive or sign up for a virtual landing experience.
"If there is one thing we know, it is that landing on Mars is never easy," said Marc Etkind, NASA Associate Administrator for Communications, in a statement.
"But as
NASA's
fifth
rover
on Mars, Perseverance has an extraordinary engineering pedigree and mission team."
Only a few weeks after landing, if all goes according to plan, the spacecraft's cameras and microphones will show the
rover's
perspective
for the first time.
MarsNASArover Perseverance