7 Down

Anatomy of Perseverance   (NASA/JPL)

According to NASA, it takes seven terrifying minutes for a spacecraft to descend through Mars’ atmosphere and successfully land on its surface.

So as not to burn up in this process, a craft must be able to withstand temperatures of “3,800 degrees Fahrenheit.”  Its speed must be reduced from “13,000 mph to zero” within that same time frame.

Thus far, the odds haven’t been that good.  Fifty percent of Earth’s crafts that were expected to land on Mars never quite made it.

Hopefully, the one that is scheduled to launch this week will.  Its name is Perseverance, which is what it will take for success.

Resources

https://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-mars-perseverance-rover-seven-minutes-terror-landing-video-2020-7?amp%3Butm_medium=referral

Copyright July 27, 2020 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved