U.S. Perseverance succeeds in its first test run in Hwaseong

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Mars rover’s first test run on the surface of Mars on March 4, 2021, with wheel marks remaining on the surface of the crater as an example. © Reuters = News1 © News1 Reporter Seoyoon Choi

CNN and others reported on the 5th (local time) that the NASA’s Mars probe, Perseverance Rover, succeeded in its first test run on Mars.

On the 4th, after receiving a remote command from the surface of Mars,’Example Crater’, the Perservance succeeded in driving about 6.5m for a total of 33 minutes, moving forward about 4m, turning 150 degrees to the left, and going back 2.5m.

“It was incredibly well done,” said Anais Zarifian, an engineer in charge of the mobility test, said about the ride.

After landing on Mars on the 18th of last month, Perservance went through equipment overhaul in the first two weeks. They received software updates to help them explore Mars, and also checked the Mars Oxygen Utilization Experiment (MOXIE) equipment that will convert Mars’ carbon dioxide into oxygen.

Perservance is also equipped with a Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer (MEDA) equipped with two wind sensors, which is already sending the measured meteorological data to Earth.

After all the inspections are over and the test flight is completed, the Perseverance begins its mission to find traces of life and water in earnest. A lot of curiosity about Mars wrapped in a veil, such as collecting soil and rock samples and revealing past climatic conditions, is expected to be resolved.

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