Mars 2020 Mission: The beginning of a New Future
"We are at the dawn of a new era in commercial space exploration." - Elon Musk
The Mars 2020 mission marked a pivotal moment in space exploration, as NASA set its sights on the Red Planet once again. With the well engineered and sophisticated Perseverance rover at its helm, this mission aimed to uncover secrets and mysteries of Mars. Brimming with optimism and human ingenuity, the mission sought to answer age-old questions about life beyond Earth while paving the path for future human exploration.
The mission has reshaped the future of space exploration, propelling us closer to human colonization. Technological advancements in precision landing and oxygen production have set the stage for safer and more self-sufficient missions. The mission's global impact fosters international cooperation, uniting the world in our shared fascination for the cosmos.
Objectives of Mars 2020 Mission:
The Mars 2020 mission had three ambitious goals:
to search for signs of ancient life,
to prepare for future human exploration, and
To collect samples for return to Earth
Perseverance explored the Martian surface, seeking hints of past microbial existence in the Jezero Crater's water-rich history. Its pioneering pathfinding paved the way for human missions, while the innovative technology aboard tested the possibilities of aerial exploration with the Ingenuity helicopter. And with sufficient precision, Perseverance collected and cached rock and soil samples to be brought back home.
Accomplishments and Impact:
From the moment Perseverance descended upon the Martian surface, it seemed highly successful in its prime goals. NASA ensured its precise landing materialized on the dusty surface on February 18, 2021, a breathtaking feat that epitomized human ingenuity among the red planet. Perseverance promptly initiated its scientific quest, capturing high-resolution images and delving into the mysteries of Mars' geological tapestry.
Perseverance performed flawlessly to collect the elemental composition of rocks and soils through the keen eyes of well-engineered SuperCam and PIXL.
SuperCam's laser is uniquely capable of remotely clearing away surface dust, giving all of its instruments a clear view of the targets.
- Roger Wiens, Principal Investigator
The Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics & Chemicals has a nickname: SHERLOC mounted on the rover's robotic arm, used cameras, spectrometers, and a laser to search for organics and minerals that have been altered by watery environments and may be signs of past microbial life.
The ingenuity helicopter; a demonstration to test the first powered flight on Mars, rode to Mars attached to the belly of the Perseverance rover as well and it was nothing but an immense success in welcoming the future era of space exploration and missions.
Ingenuity completed 52 flights since first taking to the skies above the Red Planet on April 19, 2021, far exceeding its originally planned technology demonstration of up to five flights. It is the first aircraft to achieve powered, controlled flight on another planet, a feat that's been called a "Wright Brothers moment". It Completed 93.9 flying minutes, covering 12.1 km and reaching altitudes as high as 59.1 ft 18.0 m. It truly paved the way for future aerial explorers at Mars and potentially other space destinations as well.
Impact on Future Space Exploration:
The Mars 2020 mission shaped the future of space exploration with its highly advanced technology and interdisciplinary concepts of engineering and physics. Technological innovations conceived during this mission such as the Sky Crane landing system and the visionary Ingenuity helicopter provided the blueprint for safer, more precise landings on distant planets. The foundations laid for aerial exploration sparked a new era of surveying other planets to answer humanity’s curiosity about the possibility of alien life.
The Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment was designed to investigate the production of oxygen on Mars. On April 20, 2021, MOXIE produced oxygen from carbon dioxide in the Martian atmosphere by using solid oxide electrolysis. This advances our understanding of self-sufficiency and laid the cornerstone for potential human colonies on different planets. The discovery of organic compounds and the presence of a once-wet environment in the Jezero Crater have bolstered the notion that Mars may have once been habitable.
The mission represented a turning point in humanity's quest to uncover the mysteries of space. With Perseverance, we have peered into the past and laid the groundwork for a future where humans tread on the Red Planet's soil. This captivating journey to Mars paved the way for an interesting commercial space flight future, where curiosity, ingenuity, and international collaboration will guide us as we venture further into new missions.
Conclusion:
Inshort, the Mars 2020 mission, led by NASA, paved the way for innovative space flight and ignited a new era in exploration. The mission's Perseverance rover, with its advanced technology, achieved groundbreaking milestones, like the first powered flight on Mars by the Ingenuity helicopter. These achievements inspired a generation of space pioneers and set the stage for safer and more precise landings. The mission's focus on searching for signs of ancient life and collecting rock and soil samples opened the door to potential human colonization and sparked global interest. With its success and discoveries, the Mars 2020 mission continued to shape the future of space exploration and drive us closer to a future of boundless possibilities of space flight.
