NASA has shared the first meteorological report of the Jezero crater on Mars, and the lake that once appears to be experiencing cold temperatures.
The Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer (MEDA) system aboard the Perseverance rover captured the surrounding temperatures for 30 minutes on February 19 at about 22:25 ET.
The data show that it was below -4F on the surface when MEDA was activated, but dropped to -14F 30 minutes later.
MEDA is designed with a set of environmental sensors to record dust levels and six atmospheric conditions, along with the ability to measure the radiation that propagates the surface that will help prepare the first humans to explore Mars.
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The Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer (MEDA) system aboard the Perseverance rover captured the surrounding temperatures for 30 minutes on February 19 at about 22:25 ET (pictured)
Jose Antonio Rodriguez Manfredi, MEDA principal investigator at the Center for Astrobiology (CAB) of the National Institute of Aerospace Technology in Madrid, said: “After a phase of descent and landing of nail bites, our MEDA team was eagerly awaiting the first data to confirm that our instrument has landed safely.
They were moments of great intensity and emotion. Finally, after years of work and planning, we received the first MEDA data report.
“Our system was alive and sending its first weather data and images from the SkyCam.”
MEDA is tied to the Perseverance pole by an extendable arm that is released periodically to check the weather.
The data show that it was below -4F on the surface of Jezero crater (pictured) when MEDA was activated, but fell to -14F 30 minutes later
MEDA is tied to the Perseverance pole by an extendable arm that is released periodically to check the weather. It weighs about 12 pounds and is capable of capturing wind (both speed and direction), pressure, relative humidity, air temperature, ground temperature, and radiation from both the Sun and space. ).
It weighs about 12 pounds and is capable of capturing wind (both speed and direction), pressure, relative humidity, air temperature, ground temperature and radiation from both the Sun and space. ).
The system wakes up every hour and, after recording and storing data, goes to sleep regardless of the rover’s operations.
And MEDA can work even if perseverance sleeps.
When NASA received the first weather report, they quickly began working to compose it.
It weighs about 12 pounds and is able to capture wind, pressure, relative humidity, air temperature, ground temperature and radiation.
MEDA’s radiation and dust sensor showed that Jezero was experiencing a cleaner atmosphere than Gale crater at the same time, about 2,300 kilometers away, according to reports from the Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) aboard the Curiosity rover. parked in Gale.
And MEDA pressure sensors told engineers that the pressure on Mars was 718 pascals, well within the 705-735 Pascal range predicted by their models for that time on Mars.
The system will collect, store and transmit particles that interact with light, ultimately affecting both temperature and climate.
While these data points help NASA better prepare for perseverance, the measures are also vital for future heroes and hobbits traveling one day to Mars.
Manuel de la Torre Juárez, adjunct MEDA principal investigator at NASA ‘s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, said: “We are very excited to see MEDA work well.
As the ingenuity reached pre-flight milestones, a MEDA report from days 43 and 44 of Mars, or alone, of the mission (April 3-4 on Earth) showed a high temperature of -7, 6F and low of -117.4 F in Jezero crater. MEDA also measured wind gusts at about 22 mph
MEDA reports will provide a better picture of the near-surface environment. Data from MEDA and other instrument experiments will reveal more puzzles on Mars and help prepare for human exploration. We hope your data helps make our designs stronger and our missions safer. ‘
MEDA can record temperature at three atmospheric heights: 2.76 feet, 4.76 feet, and 98.43 feet, in addition to surface temperature.
The system uses sensors from the rover’s body and mast and an infrared sensor capable of measuring temperature almost 100 feet above the rover, which is crucial for when the Ingenuity helicopter takes off.
As the spacecraft reached pre-flight milestones, a MEDA report from Mars 43 and 44, or alone, of the mission (April 3-4 on Earth) showed a high temperature of -7, 6F and low of -117.4 F in Jezero crater. MEDA also measured wind gusts at about 22 mph.
Perseverance, along with his fellow traveler Ingenuity, touched down on Mars on February 18 with the mission of looking for signs of ancient life in Jezero Crater to help scientists better understand how life on Earth evolved.
NASA MARCH 2020: THE MISSION WILL SEE THE SEARCH FOR THE LIFE OF THE ROVER HELICOPTER OF PERSEVERANCE AND INGENUITIES
NASA’s Mars 2020 mission will look for signs of ancient life on the red planet in order to help scientists better understand how life on Earth evolved.
Named Perseverance, the car-sized main rover will explore an ancient river delta inside Jezero Crater, which was once filled with a 1,600-foot-deep lake.
The region is believed to have hosted microbial life about 3.5 to 3.9 billion years ago and the rover will examine soil samples for evidence of life.
NASA’s Mars 2020 rover (artist’s impression) will look for signs of ancient life on Mars to help scientists better understand how life evolved on our own planet
The $ 2.5 billion (£ 1.95 million) Mars 2020 spacecraft was launched on July 30 with the rover and helicopter inside and successfully landed on February 18, 2021.
Perseverance landed inside the crater and will collect samples that will eventually be returned to Earth for further analysis.
A second mission will fly to the planet and return the samples, perhaps in late 2020 in collaboration with the European Space Agency.
This concept shows the Mars 2020 rover landing on the red planet using NASA’s ‘sky-grue’ system