[ad_1] The next phase of the mission will be crucial for Tianwen-1. In 2011, China successfully launched the Yinghuo-1 Mars mission and reached parking orbit aboard a Ukrainian Zenit rocket. However, the burns designed to send it from that orbit to Mars failed, leaving it stranded over Earth. It eventually re-entered our orbit and disintegrated […]
Category: rover
Curiosity rover starts its ‘summer trip’ to next Martian destination
[ad_1] In just a few weeks’ time, the Perseverance rover and its helicopter companion might blast off to space and make their way to Mars. That doesn’t mean Curiosity will no longer be in the picture, though — in fact, the older rover has just started its mile-long summer journey towards its next destination. The […]
NASA delays Mars rover launch until at least July 30th
[ad_1] You’ll have to wait longer than you might like to see the Perseverance rover begin its journey to Mars. NASA and United Launch Alliance have delayed blast-off for the Mars 2020 mission from July 22nd to “no earlier than” July 30th. Processing problems with the launch vehicle are to blame, NASA said. A liquid […]
NASA’s Mars helicopter is ready for the red planet
[ad_1] NASA is in the final stages of preparing the Perseverance rover for its trip to the red planet, which could begin anytime between July 17th and August 5th if everything goes as planned. Over the past week, the team assembled the machine, tested what needed to be tested and filled its tanks with fuel. […]
NASA wants students’ help designing tech for the Moon and Mars
[ad_1] The awards will be relatively modest at $15,000 to $50,000, but NASA stressed that this doesn’t necessarily involve tangible products. It can also involve research that fills “knowledge gaps” or reduces risks, for instance. Proposals are due by April 24th. The competition may not lead to a major breakthrough in NASA’s Moon and Mars […]
DJI patent imagines a drone that can’t fly
[ad_1] Unlike Freefly, the DJI vehicle seems to include its own camera and stabilizer, much like the Mavic and other drones. At the same time, the suspension seems to have a lot of travel that would allow it to operate smoothly on relatively rough terrain. That would no doubt make it simple to operate and […]
NASA’s Mars 2020 rover passes its driving test
[ad_1] Rieber said in a statement: “The test unambiguously proved that the rover can operate under its own weight and demonstrated many of the autonomous-navigation functions for the first time. This is a major milestone for Mars 2020.” The rover’s ground team is optimistic that the rover will perform well on Mars if it was […]
India’s Vikram lunar lander lost contact during its descent
[ad_1] Today India attempted to become only the fourth nation to successfully soft-land on the surface of the Moon. That mission appears to have failed, when the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) lost contact with its Vikram lander at an altitude of 2.1km above the lunar surface. The space agency has said only that it […]
NASA starts accepting kids’ name suggestions for its Mars 2020 rover
[ad_1] NASA will whittle the competition down to 52 semi finalists per group, each representing their state or territory. The public will have a chance to vote on nine finalists in January 2020, and you’ll find out the name on February 18th, 2020, a year before the rover is expected to land on the Martian […]
Watch the Mars 2020 rover do a biceps curl with an 88-pound turret
[ad_1] Mars 2020’s turret weighs that much, because it’s equipped with HD cameras and a rich collection of sensors and science instruments, including a percussive drill and coring mechanism. While Martian gravity is only about 38 percent of our planet’s, the ground team still made sure the arm is sturdy and strong enough to be […]