Mars 2020 Perseverance

(+94)11 2586499

April 16, 2024

Mars 2020 Perseverance

Perseverance carried seven instruments to Planet Mars

Mastcam-Z, an advanced camera system with panoramic and stereoscopic imaging capability with the ability to zoom. The instrument also will determine the mineralogy of the Martian surface and assist with rover operations.

SuperCam, an instrument that can provide imaging, chemical composition analysis, and mineralogy at a distance

Planetary Instrument for X-ray Lithochemistry (PIXL), an X-ray fluorescence spectrometer and high-resolution imager to map the fine-scale elemental composition of Martian surface materials. PIXL will provide capabilities that permit more detailed detection and analysis of chemical elements than ever before.

Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals (SHERLOC), a spectrometer that will provide fine-scale imaging and uses an ultraviolet (UV) laser to map mineralogy and organic compounds. SHERLOC will be the first UV Raman spectrometer to fly to the surface of Mars and will provide complementary measurements with other instruments in the payload. SHERLOC includes a high-resolution color camera for microscopic imaging of Mars’ surface.

The Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment (MOXIE), a technology demonstration that will produce oxygen from Martian atmospheric carbon dioxide. If successful, MOXIE’s technology could be used by future astronauts on Mars to burn rocket fuel for returning to Earth.

Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer (MEDA), a set of sensors that will provide measurements of temperature, wind speed and direction, pressure, relative humidity, and dust size and shape.

The Radar Imager for Mars’ Subsurface Experiment (RIMFAX), a ground-penetrating radar that will provide centimeter-scale resolution of the geologic structure of the subsurface.

Image credit: `NASA/JPL-Caltech`

Key Objectives of the Perseverance mission.

Explore a geologically diverse landing site
Assess ancient habitability
Seek signs of ancient life, particularly in special rocks known to preserve signs of life over time
Gather rock and soil samples that could be returned to Earth by a future NASA mission
Demonstrate technology for future robotic and human exploration

Mission Timeline

Launch in July-August 2020 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
Launching on a ULA Atlas 541 procured under NASA’s Launch Services Program
Land on Mars on February 18, 2021 at the site of an ancient river delta in a lake that once filled Jezero Crater
Spend at least one Mars year (two Earth years) exploring the landing site region

A camera aboard the descent stage captured this shot

Image credit: `NASA/JPL-Caltech`

Rover Size and Dimensions

Perseverance Rover is about 10 feet long (not including the arm), 9 feet wide, and 7 feet tall (about 3 meters long, 2.7 meters wide, and 2.2 meters tall).

Ingenuity

Perseverance carried with it; a 2 kg helicopter named “Ingenuity’ which will become the first aircraft to attempt powered flight on another planet. This solar powered drone will take arial photographs of the Jezero Crater.

Image credit: `NASA/JPL-Caltech`

International Space Station (ISS)

(+94)11 2586499

April 16, 2024

English

English සිංහල

International Space Station (ISS)

ISS is the biggest artificial satellite currently orbiting our planet. It’s first component was launched in 1998. This satellite is a joint project by Several space agencies (NASA of USA, Roscosmos of Russia, JAXA of Japan, ESA of European Union, CSA of Canada) belong to several countries. This station is built as a habitable laboratory to conduct research works on several fields of science including Physics, Chemistry, Microbiology, Mereology. ISS provides a microgravity and space environment conditions for these researches. The first long term residents arrived on 2nd November 2000 (20 years ago)

ISS is in a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) with an average altitude of 400km above the surface of the earth it has 2 engines onboard and it can use the engines of visiting spacecrafts to maintain this orbit. It goes around the planet 15.5 times a day with an orbital period of 92 minutes.

ISS is 109m by 73m in size (as large as a football field), this size and the reflectivity of its construction materials make the ISS clearly visible to naked eye. If we look through a telescope even the shape of the ISS can be seen.

Given that the ISS rotates around earth nearly 16 times a day, ISS sighting is a common occurrence since its launch. Because the ISS is in a LEO, it is covered from the sunlight during the flight over night side of earth and lit from behind over the day sky. Thus, its only visible during evenings and mornings. You have to know where to look and at what time if you want to spot the ISS.

There are several mobile phone apps and website that lets you know details of ISS sightings. One of which is https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/ website maintained by NASA.

Inventions that came with Space Travel

(+94)11 2586499

April 16, 2024

English

English සිංහල

Inventions that came with Space Travel

When hear “space travel” we think only about the astronauts, planets and rockets. If someone asks how space travel helped us, we’d say that space travel let us explore the previously unexplored parts of the space. But with the space travel there has been lot of inventions are currently helping us on earth.

Solar Cells:

Solar Cells were invented to use as a power source for satellites. Now we use them every day, to power pocket calculators and to power cities as an alternative energy source.

Phone Camera Sensors:

Jet Propulsion Laboratory of NASA invented small digital camera sensors to fit on space crafts. They are known as CMOS sensors and today most camera phones and Webcams use the same technology.

Water Purification:

NASA invented an electrolytic silver iodizer to purify drinking water for astronauts. These types of filters are widely used today to kill bacteria in drinking water.

Handheld vacuum:

Black & Decker, an American company was appointed to develop a lightweight device to collect moon dust. The same technology is now used in handheld wireless vacuum pumps.

Wireless headsets:

In some cases, astronauts required to be free of wires but at the same tie, they needed to communicate. Wireless headsets are born to fulfill this requirement, now we use these to listen to music and entertain ourselves.

Computer mouse:

In an attempt to make the interaction between astronauts and computers easier, researchers at NASA came up with the idea of a mouse. Now we can’t even imagine a computer without a pointing device.

Exercise machine:

Since astronauts stay in space for weeks or months at a time they need to exercise, but since they cannot exercise as usual in-space exercise machine were invented. Now we user Exercise machine has given their convenience.

These are only a few of the inventions that came with space travel and very use full-on earth for everyone. The list includes many inventions including Portable computers, Baby formula, Freeze-dried food, CAT Scanner, Memory Foam, Athletic Shoes, LASER eye surgery, and many more. So we can say space travel helped use reach the stars while making our lives better on earth.

Posts in category: Articles