Since last Thursday, February 18, the day the rover Perseverance touched surface of MartImages continue to arrive from the neighboring planet: the first, immediately after the landing, then other high-resolution photos, and even the full video of the panic moments from the descent of the Rover to touch Martian land.
(Read also: These are the known images of the Rover Perseverance on Mars).
While it is true that the technology deployment in that robot It ‘s impressive and features cutting – edge devices throughout its structure, many wonder why first two images which he sent were in low resolution.
In that respect it has been the same National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa, For its acronym in English), which has come to be known as the Perseverance captures and sends images. On the one hand, he clarified that the first two images sent minutes after their arrival on Mars were taken by a set of cameras whose main function is to help controllers to help manage the robot.
(Also: This is how Mars sounds, recorded by Rover Perseverance).
This set of devices for capturing images is called Risk Prevention Cameras (HazCams), And consists of six cameras that monitor the terrain and detect hazards in the robot’s path, either in front or behind. They are also used by engineers to see where the robotic arm can move, In order to take measurements, take photographs and collect samples of rock and soil.
At the time of the landing, NASA explained, the HazCams were protected by a transparent cover, which will later be evacuated. So the quality will increase, not only in these, but also in the other 17 cameras that the robot has. Of these, nine are engineering, set for scientific papers, As well as the seven handling (including the six Hazcams).
(In context: The SuperCam that Mars will study in search of past life).
According to the Nasa, Next weekend, as the robot and its cameras are deployed, as the data is processed at the control center on Earth, more photos and videos in higher quality will arrive.
How do you transmit them?
This was the first high-resolution color image sent by Hazard Cameras (Hazcams) installed at the bottom of the Perseverance rover after it landed on Mars.
Having traveled 480 million kilometers, el rover Perseverance it uses three antennas to hear, see and send images to Earth. The one that fulfills this last function, is called the ultra-high frequency (UHF) antenna. To achieve this, it sends its signal to NASA’s orbiters around Mars and then from there to the control centers on Earth.
(Also: Google: Diana Trujillo becomes the most searched personality).
“Generally, a radio signal takes between 5 and 20 minutes to travel the distance between Mars and Earth, depending on the position of both planets, said Ken WILLIFORD one of the leaders of the mission, Paul Rincón, science editor of the ‘BBC’.
The mission aims to look for microbial life on Mars, as well as collect samples of rock and regolith (broken rock and dust) carefully selected for their future return to Earth; other Perseverance tasks will be to characterize the geology and climate of Mars and pave the way for ‘in situ’ human exploration.
(See the special TIME: Perseverance on Mars: historical mission that brings us closer to the red planet).
Trends THE WEATHER