♪
♪
>> AFTER A DECADE IN THE MAKING,
NASA IS JUST WEEKS AWAY FROM
LAUNCHING ITS NEXT MISSIONING TO
MARS.
WE ARE HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT
THE MARS 2020 PERSEVERANCE ROVER
AND MARS HELICOPTER.
I'M FROM NASA'S JET PROPULSION
LABORATORY IN SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA.
I'M GOING TO BE YOUR HOST TODAY.
SINCE WE ARE SOCIAL DISTANCING,
I WILL INTRODUCE YOU VIRTUALLY
TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING TO
GET THE ROVER TO THE LAUNCH PAD.
ON OUR PANEL TODAY WE HAVE NASA
ADMINISTRATOR JIM
BRIGHTSONSTEIN.
DIRECTOR LORI GLAZE WILL DISCUSS
NASA STRATEGY FOR EXPLORING
MARS.
DEPUTY PROJECT SCIENTIST KATIE
MORGAN WILL TELL US WHY WE HAVE
CHOSEN OUR LANDING SITE AND WHAT
WE HOPE TO FIND THERE.
MATT WALLACE WILL GO OVER WHAT
MAY BEINGS THIS DIFFERENT.
DEPUTY ELECTRICAL LEAD HAS AN
UPDATE WHAT WE ARE DOING ON THE
SPACECRAFT RIGHT NOW.
NASA LAUNCH DIRECTOR WILL GIVE
US AN UPDATE ABOUT LAUNCH
PREPARATIONS.
WE'LL START WITH NASA
ADMINISTRATOR, JIM, CAN YOU
BELIEVE WE ARE ONLY A MONTH AWAY
FROM LAUNCH?
>> IT'S PRETTY AMAZING.
WHAT A GREAT TIME TO BE AT NASA.
WHAT A GREAT TIME TO WATCH THE
EXCITING THINGS THAT NASA IS
DOING.
I WILL TELL YOU, WE HAVE TO
REMEMBER THAT NASA HAS AN
AMAZING ABILITY TO DO STUNNING
ACHIEVEMENTS EVEN IN THE MIDST
OF DIFFICULT TIMES.
I'M IN MY LIVING ROOM IN THE
MIDST OF THE CORONAVIRUS
PANDEMIC.
I KNOW ALL OF US HAVE BEEN
WORKING OVERTIME, WORKING FROM
HOME, WORKING WITH OUR CHILDREN
IN MANY CASES OUT OF SCHOOL AND
IT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE AND WE ALL
KNOW THAT.
BUT THIS MISSIO WAS ONE OF TWO
MISSIONS THAT WE PROTECTED TO
MAKE SURE WE WERE GOING TO BE
ABLE TO LAUNCH IN JULY.
THE REASON THAT'S IMPORTANT IS
BECAUSE OF THE ALIGNMENT.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT EARTH AND
MARS BEING ON THE SAME SIDE OF
THE SUN, THAT HAPPENS ONCE OVER
26 MONTHS.
IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE, IF WE HAVE
TO TAKE PERSEVERANCE AND PUT IT
BACK INTO STORAGE FOR A PERIOD
OF TWO YEARS.
IT COULD COST HALF A BILLION
DOLLARS.
SO THIS IS AN IMPORTANT MISSION
FOR A WHOLE HOST OF REASONS.
WHAT I HOPE IS THA PEOPLE WATCH
THIS MISSION AND THAT THEY ARE
INSPIRED THAT WE KNOW THAT WE
CAN STRIVE AND ACHIEVE EVEN IN
THE MIDST OF CHALLENGING TIMES.
SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.
ALEX MATHER IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA
ACTUALLY NAMED THIS LITTLE
ROBOT, I SHOULD SAY BIG ROBOT.
WE ARE TALKING SOMETHING THE
SIZE OF AN SUV.
HE NAMED IT PERSEVERANCE.
I THINK RIGHT NOW MORE THAN EVER
THAT NAME IS SO IMPORTANT AND I
JUST WANT TO THANK ALEX TO
GIVING US THAT NAME BECAUSE WE
ARE PERSEVERING AND WE ARE
ACHIEVING EVEN IN THE MIDST OF
THESE CHALLENGING TIMES.
I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT MARS TODAY WE HAVE
A BIG AGENDA.
WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN A DIRECTIVE
TO GO TO MARS WITH HUMANS.
TO ACHIEVE THAT, WE ARE BUILDING
AN ARCHITECTURE AT THE MOON
WHERE HUMANS WILL SUSTAIN FOR
LONG PERIODS OF TIME AND DOING
THAT UNDER OUR PROGRAM CALLED
ARTEMIS.
WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH THESE
VERY IMPORTANT MARS ROBOTIC
PRECURSOR MISSIONS SO WHEN WE
SEND HUMANS TO MARS, WE KNOW
WHERE TO GET THE BEST SCIENCE
AND DATA WE CAN GET.
IT'S NOT LOST ON ME THAT 51
YEARS AGO ON JULY 20, THIS IS
IMPORTANT, 51 YEARS AGO ON
JULY 20 NEIL ARMSTRONG AND BUZZ
ALDRON WERE WALKING ON THE MOVE,
THEY DID THE FIRST LUNAR RETURN
MISSION.
HERE WE ARE 51 YEARS LATER
GETTING READY TO DO THE MARS
RETURN MISSION.
SO THESE, I THINK, ARE IMPORTANT
MILESTONES.
WE HAVE DONE IT WITH THE MOON,
NOW WE'LL DO IT WITH MARS.
PERSEVERANCE IS THE FIRST STEP
IN A RETURN OF THOSE SAMPLES.
THE THING THAT HAS ME THE MOST
EXCITED AS THE NASA
ADMINISTRATOR IS GETTING READY
TO WATCH A HELICOPTER FLY ON
ANOTHER WORLD.
THAT'S NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE IN
HUMAN HISTORY.
HERE WE ARE GETTING READY TO
LAUNCH MARS PERSEVERANCE WITH
INGENUITY, ITS LITTLE HELICOPTER
STRAPPED TO IT.
I'M EXCITED TO WATCH A
HELICOPTER FLY IN ANOTHER WORLD.
YOU WILL HEAR GREAT THINGS OF
THIS EXPERIMENTS AND TECHNOLOGY
DEMONSTRATIONS.
WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT MARS
PERSEVERANCE.
IT'S A GREAT TIME TO BE AT NASA
AND I HOPE IT'S A GREAT TIME TO
WATCH ALL THE THINGS NASA IS
CAPABLE OF DOING.
>> THANKS, JIM, IT IS AN
EXCITING FIRST STEP.
FOR ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO
SUBMIT A QUESTION, USE THE ASK
NASAASHTAG.
UP NEXT, PLANETARY SCIENCE
DIRECTOR LORI GLAZE WILL TALK
ABOUT THE PERSEVERANCE ROVER
ADVANCES NASA'S EXPLORATION OF
MARS.
>> THANKS.
IT IS MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE
TODAY AS WE BEGIN OUR COUNTDOWN
TO MARS AND THE LAUNCH OF THE
PERSEVERANCE ROVER.
AT NASA OUR VISION FOR SCIENCE
IS TO LEAD A GLOBALLY ENTER
CONNECTED PROGRAM OF DISCOVERY
THAT ENCOURAGES INNOVATION,
POSITIVELY IMPACTS PEOPLE'S
LIVES AND A SOURCE OF
INSPIRATION.
AND THIS MISSION DOES ALL OF
THAT.
PERSEVERANCE IS THE MOST
SOPHISTICATED MISSION WE HAVE
EVER SENT TO THE RED PLANET
SURFACE.
IT'S THE NEXT STEP IN OUR
HISTORIC MARS EXPLORATION
PROGRAM WHICH HAS BEEN EXPLORING
MARS AND UNLOCKING ITS SECRETS
FOR DECADES.
WE COULDN'T BE MORE EXCITED
ABOUT IT.
SOME OF PERSEVERANCE'S MAIN
ACTIVITIES WILL BE AN ASTRO
BIOLOGY, THE STUDY OF HOW LIFE
COMES TO BE, THE ENVIRONMENTS
AT CAN SUPPORT LIFE AND THE
SEARCH TO SEE IF LIFE EXISTS
ANYWHERE ELSE BEYOND EARTH.
THIS IS THE FIRST ROVER MISSION
DESIGNED TO SEEK SIGNS OF PAST
MICROBIAL LIFE BY COLLECTING
ROCK AND SOIL SAMPLES THAT WILL
BE RETURNED TO EARTH.
THE ROVER'S INSTRUMENTS WILL
LOOK FOR EVIDENCE OF ANCIENT
HABITABLE ENVIRONMENTS AND
MONITOR ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS
WHICH WILL HELP US BETTER
UNDERSTAND HOW TO PROTECT FUTURE
HUMAN EXPLORERS.
THE ROVER WILL STUDY THE RECORD
THAT'S PRESERVED IN THE LAYERS
OF ROCK, LOOKING FOR THE ROCKS
THAT FORM IN WATER AND COULD
HAVE PRESERVED EVIDENCE OF THE
CHEMICAL BUILDING BLOCKS OF
LIFE.
THE ROVER WILL DEMONSTRATE A KEY
TECHNOLOGY FOR USING NATURAL
RESOURCES IN THE ENVIRONMENT FOR
LIFE SUPPORT AND FUEL, LIKE
PRODUCING OXYGEN FROM THE CARBON
DIOXIDE.
ITS LANDING TECHNOLOGY WILL HELP
INFORM FUTURE HUMAN MISSIONS TO
MARS.
IT'S THE FIRST STEP IN THE FIRST
EVER ROUND TRIP MISSION TO
ANOTHER PLANET IN OUR SOLAR
SYSTEM.
SCIENTISTS HAVE WANTED A SAMPLE
OF MARS TO STUDY FOR
GENERATIONS.
WE HAVE METEORITES ON EARTH THAT
CAME FROM MARS.
BUT IT'S NOT THE SAME AS GETTING
A SAMPLE OF PRISTINE ROCKS AND
SOIL TO STUDY.
NOW WE CAN ATTEMPT THIS AMAZING
FEAT.
SAMPLES HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO
CHANGE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE
ORIGIN, EVOLUTION AND
DISTRIBUTION OF LIFE ON EARTH
AND ELSEWHERE IN THE SOLAR
SYSTEM.
EVEN NOW NASA CONTINUES TO STUDY
MOON SAMPLES BROUGHT BACK BY THE
APOLLO PROGRAM MORE THAN 50
YEARS AGO.
WE EXPECT SAMPLES TO PROVIDE NEW
KNOWLEDGE AS WE STUDY THEM WITH
STATE-OF-THE-ART LABORATORY
EQUIPMENT WE COULDN'T POSSIBLY
TAKE TO MARS RIGHT NOW.
THE PLAN IS MULTIFACETED AND
COMPLEX.
IT REQUIRES MULTIPLE SPACECRAFT
AND OUR PARTNERS AT THE EUROPEAN
SPACE AGENCY WORKING TOGETHER.
LET ME SHOW YOU HOW.
FIRST, PERSEVERANCE IS GOING TO
DRILL AND PREPARE SAMPLES FOR
RETURN AND CACHE THEM ON THE
SURFACE OF MARS.
IN 2026 A ROCKET WILL BE
LAUNCHED INTO ORBIT AROUND MARS.
ANOTHER ORBITER WILL RENDEZVOUS
AND CAPTURE THOSE SAMPLES FOR
SAFE DELIVERY TO EARTH.
IF IT SOUNDS COMPLICATED, IT IS.
NASA'S INVESTMENTS IN DEVELOPING
ROBOTS AND LANDING LARGE PAY
LOADS ON MARS HAVE LAID THE
GROUND WORK FOR A SUCCESSFUL
RETURN CAMPAIGN.
WE ARE THRILLED TO BE WORKING
WITH THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY
AND PARTNERS FROM SPAIN, NORWAY
AND FRANCE AS WE TAKE OUR NEXT
STEPS IN EXPLORING THE SOLAR
SYSTEM.
YOU PROBABLY WANT TO KNOW MORE
ABOUT HOW PERSEVERANCE IS GOING
TO ACCOMPLISH ITS MISSION.
AND FOR THAT KATIE IS GOING TO
TALK ABOUT OUR LANDING SITE
WHICH IS A REALLY SPECIAL PLACE
ON MARS.
>> THANKS, LORI.
IN ONE MONTH'S TIME PERSEVERANCE
WILL BEGIN ITS JOURNEY TO MARS.
IT WILL BE A CRATER ON THE INNER
RIM ON THE SURFACE OF MARS.
WE'LL HAVE ACCESS TO SOME OF THE
OLDEST ROCKS IN THE SOLAR
SYSTEM, AS WELL AS A RECORD OF
DIVERSE PROCESSES ASSOCIATED
WITH WATER AT THE SURFACE AND
SUBSURFACE TT CAN TELL US
ABOUT HOW THE PLANET EVOLVED
OVER TIME.
WE THINK IT WAS HOME TO A
VARIETY OF POTENTIAL HABITABLE
ENVIRONMENTS WHERE PERSEVERANCE
CAN BEGIN ITS SEARCH FOR THE
SIGNS OF ANCIENT LIFE ON MARS.
IT'S HOST TO ONE OF THE BEST
PRESERVED DELTAS.
THEY FORM WHEN RIVERS ENTER OPEN
BODIES OF RIVERS.
THEY ARE ONE OF THE PRIME
TARGETS FOR THE PERSEVERANCE
MISSION.
ALSO, WE SEE CARBON MINERALS
AROUND THE INNER RIM OF THE
CRATER.
BASED ON WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT
THEM, WE THINK THEY ARE ANOTHER
REALLY IMPORTANT POTENTIAL
TARGET FOR THE MISSION.
WE'LL HAVE A CHANCE TO EXPLORE
THE CRATER RIM WHICH EXPOSES
SOME OF THOSE OLDEST ROCKS IN
THE FIELD SITE AS WELL AS
POTENTIAL HABITABLE ENVIRONMENTS
THAT MIGHT HAVE FORMED AS A
RESULT OF THAT IMPACT EVENT
ITSELF.
AT EACH ONE OF THESE LOCATIONS,
WE'LL SEARCH FOR BIOSIGNATURES,
PATTERNS, TEXTURES OR
SUBSTANCES.
WE DON'T KNOW FOR SURE WHAT THEY
ARE GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
BUT WE CAN LOOK TO OUR OWN EARTH
ROCK RECORD.
WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS A
3.4 BILLION-YEAR-OLD ROCK FROM
AUSTRALIA.
THIS IS A FOSSILIZED MAT.
EACH ONE OF THESE LAYERS
REPRESENTS THE GROWTH OVER TIME.
IF YOU LOOK AT THAT ROCK, YOU
WOULDN'T KNOW FOR SURE IT WAS A
POTENTIAL BIOSIGNATURE.
YOU COUPLE THE TEXTURES, THE
CHEMICALS AND DISTRIBUTION OF
ORGANIC CARBON, YOU CAN BUILD A
CASE THAT COULD ONLY HAVE FORMED
UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF LIFE.
THIS IS THE THING WE DO ON LIFE
TO MAKE A CASE IN OUR OWN ROCK
RECORD.
AND USING OUR INSTRUMENTS, WE
CAN DO THAT ON MARS.
USING THAT DETAIL COUPLED WITH
THE CONTEXT, WE'LL DO OUR BEST
TO IDENTIFY, COLLECT AND
DOCUMENT THE MOST COMPELLING
SCIENTIFIC CACHE OF SAMPLES WE
CAN TO ADDRESS BIG PICTURE
QUESTIONS, FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS
INCLUDING HOW DID THE SURFACE
AND CLIMATE OF MARS EVOLVE OVER
TIME, HOW DO ROCKY PLANETS FORM
AND WAS LIFE EVER PRESENT ON
MARS.
TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, WE ARE GOING
TO USE A SCIENTIFIC PAY LOAD OF
SEVEN INSTRUMENTS.
SOME OF THEM ON THE END OF THE
ROVER'S ARM WHICH PROVIDE THE
MAPPING CAPABILITIES AS WELL AS
RIM FACTS THAT USES RADAR ARE
BRAND NEW.
WE NEVER SENT THEM TO MARS
BEFORE.
OTHER INSTRUMENTS LIKE THE SUPER
CAM ARE UPDATED VERSIONS OF
INSTRUMENTS WE FLEW ON
CURIOSITY.
THEY REPRESENT CONTRIBUTIONS
FROM THE U.S. AND INTERNATIONAL
COLLABORATORS AND WELL SUITED
FOR HELPING MARS 2020 ACCOMPLISH
ITS OBJECTIVES.
WE ARE PREPARING FOR FUTURE
HUMAN EXPLORATION.
WE ARE USING INSTRUMENTS LIKE
THE MOXY WHICH TAKES CO2,
CONVERTS IT TO OXYGEN WHICH IS
RELEVANT FOR LIFE SUPPORT AND
CREATION OF FUEL.
WE HAVE THE META INSTRUMENT, THE
WEATHER PACKAGE THAT MEASURES
TEMPERATURE, PRESSURE, HUMIDITY,
WHICH IS PIECES OF INFORMATION
THAT ASTRONAUTS WANT TO KNOW.
SO WE ARE STILL EIGHT MONTHS
AWAY FROM PERSEVERANCE LANDING
ON MARS.
WE ARE PRIORITIZING OUR MOST
IMPORTANT SCIENCE QUESTIONS,
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE WE
WOULD GO TO ANSWER THE
QUESTIONS.
AND THINKING ABOUT WHAT SAMPLES
WE WANT TO PUT ON OUR SAMPLE
CACHE.
WE CAN'T WAIT TO GET
PERSEVERANCE TO THE SURFACE OF
MARS.
I WILL HAND THINGS OVER TO MATT
WALLACE WHO WILL TELL US MORE
ABOUT THE ENGINEERING SIDE OF
PERSEVERANCE AND TELL YOU SOME
OF THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE HAD TO
OVERCOME.
>> THANKS, KATIE.
PERSEVERANCE IS A BIG ONE METRIC
TON VEHICLE.
IT'S A CAPABLE SYSTEM.
AT FIRST GLANCE IT LOOKS LIKE
THE CURIOSITY VEHICLE.
WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LEVERAGE A
LOT OF THE INVESTMENT THAT WAS
MADE TO BRING CURIOSITY TO THE
SURFACE, THE LANDING SYSTEM HAS
SOME COMMONALITY.
THIS VEHICLE IS A NEW MISSION A
NEW VEHICLE WITH NEW
CAPABILITIES.
KATIE TALKED ABOUT THESE
ENHANCED INSTRUMENTATION WHICH
WE ARE TAKING WITH US AND
TECHNOLOGY EXPERIMENTS.
I WILL MENTION A COUPLE OF THE
ENGINEERING SYSTEMS.
STARTING WITH THE WHEELS AT THE
BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE, THERE ARE
SIX WHEELS, THEY HAVE BEEN
RUGGEDIZED SO THEY ARE CAPABLE
OF DEALING WITH THE SURFACE OF
MARS AND ANYTHING IT CAN THROW
AT US.
WE HAVE A NEW POWERFUL COMPUTER
WE HAVE ADDED.
IT'S DOING DOUBLE DUTY.
ITS FIRST TASK IS TO HELP US GET
ON TO THE SURFACE OF THE PLANET.
IT'S TAKING IMAGERY OF THE
SURFACE.
DURING THE DISSENT ACTIVITY AND
PROCESSING THAT IMAGERY AND
FIGURING OUT WHERE WE ARE,
UNDERSTANDING RELATIVE TO THE
DIFFERENT HAZARDS IN THE CRATER
AND DIVERT THE SPACECRAFT AWAY
FROM THOSE HAZARDS.
IT'S A VERY INTERESTING
SCIENTIFIC TARGET THAT'S GOT A
LOT OF RELIEF, ROCKS, CLIFFS,
HILLS, THINGS LIKE THAT WHICH
ARE GREAT FOR SCIENCE.
BUT THEY ARE ALSO CHALLENGING
FOR LANDING A SPACECRAFT ON
MARS.
THIS NEW SYSTEM WILL KEEP US
SAFE IN GOING TO THIS EXCITING
NEW SCIENCE TARGET OF THE
CRATER.
WE USE THIS COMPUTER TO HELP US
PROCESS IMAGERY ON THE SURFACE
MORE RAPIDLY.
BY DOING THAT, WE CAN LOOK FOR
HAZARDS AND AVOID THEM AS WE ARE
DOING OUR SCIENCE MISSION.
THAT ALLOWS US TO DRIVE TWICE
THE SPEED CURIOSITY WAS ABLE TO
DRIVE.
IN ADDITION TO THE COMPUTER, WE
HAVE NEW CAMERAS.
ALL OUR MISSIONS CARRY A LOT OF
SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING CAMERAS
TO BEGIN WITH.
WEAVE SOMETHING NEW.
WE HAVE TAKEN SOME RUGGEDIZED
COMMERCIAL CAMERAS AND DISPENSED
THEM AROUND THE SPACECRAFT.
THOSE CAMERAS WILL BE TAKING
HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO OF THE
SPACECRAFT DURING THE ENTRY,
DISSEN AND LANDING ACTIVITY.
WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO WATCH THIS
PARACHUTE INFLATE, WATCH THE
ROVER DEPLOY AND TOUCHDOWN ON
THE SURFACE.
IT'S EXCITING, IT'S THE FIRST
TIME WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SEE A
SPACECRAFT LAND ON ANOTHER
PLANET.
WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT
IMAGERY.
WE TAKE A LOT OF CAMERAS WITH US
TO THE SURFACE OF MARS AND WE
HAVE ON PREVIOUS MISSIONS.
A LOT OF EYES.
BUT WE HAVE NEVER TAKEN EARS.
THIS TIME WE ARE TAKING A COUPLE
OF MICROPHONES.
THEY WILL BE ACTIVE DURING THE
ENTRY, DISSENT AND LANDING
ACTIVITY.
WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO HEAR THE
SYSTEM AS IT'S GOING THROUGH THE
PROCESS OF LANDING ON MARS.
WHEN WE GET ON MARS, WE'LL BE
ABLE TO TURN ON THE MICROPHONE,
LISTEN TO THE WHEELS TURN OVER
THE SURFACE ON THE ROCKS, LISTEN
TO OUR DRILL OUT ON THE END OF
THE ROBOT ARM, SAMPLE THE ROCKS,
AS WELL AS WIND AND OTHER
THINGS.
THOSE ARE ALL EXCITING NEW
CAPABILITIES WE HAVE.
YOU DON'T A
DEVELOPMENT OF THIS COMPLEXITY
WITHOUT A FEW PROBLEMS.
I WILL JUST MENTION A COUPLE.
I WILL START WITH A COUPLE OF
YEARS AGO DUE TO AN ANOMALY ON A
PARACHUTE TEST PROGRAM, WE HAD
TO TAKE A SECOND LOOK AT OUR OWN
PARACHUTE AND THE DESIGN WE HAD
FOR THAT PARACHUTE.
WE MADE THE DIFFICULT DECISION
TO MODIFY THE PARACHUTE,
STRENGTHEN THE CANOPY, GIVE US
MORE ROBUSTNESS DURING THAT
SUPER SONIC ACTIVITY.
THAT'S NOT EASY TO DO BECAUSE
YOU HAVE TO TEST THIS PARACHUTE.
TESTING PARACHUTES ON EARTH IS
DIFFICULT.
YOU HAVE TO PUT IT ON A SOUNDING
ROCKET WHICH WE DID DOWN IN
SOUTHERN VIRGINIA.
TAKE THEM UP TO THE UPPER
ATMOSPHERE AND DEPLOY THE
PARACHUTES IN THE UPPERSPHERE
SIMULATE THE MARS ATMOSPHERE.
THIS IS A SLOW MOTION VIDEO OF
ONE OF THOSE PARACHUTES
INFLATING.
THESE ARE DIFFICULT TESTS TO DO.
THIS IS T FIRST TEST WE HAVE
DONE IN ABOUT 40 YEARS FOR THE
AGENCY.
AND THE PROJECT WAS AGE TO PULL
OFF THREE PERFECT TESTS.
AND SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE
CHALLENGES WE HAD.
KATIE MENTIONED AND OTHERS
MENTIONED THE SAMPLING SYSTEM WE
HAVE ON THE VEHICLE.
OUR SAMPLING SYSTEM IS COMPOSED
OF A LOT OF DIFFERENT MECHANISMS
TO MOVE THE ARM.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO BUILD
MECHANISMS FOR A ROVER THAT HAS
TO OPERATE FLAWLESSLY A HUNDRED
MILLION MILES AWAY WITH NO HUMAN
INTERVENTION.
BUILDING THOSE GEAR BOXES AND
THOSE MOTORS IN AN ENVIRONMENT
THAT DROPS DOWN TO MINUS 200°
FAHRENHEIT EVERY NIGHT THAT'S
EXPOSED TO THIS FINE DUST AND
HAS TO DEAL WITH OTHER
ENVIRONMENTS IS ALWAYS A
CHALLENGE.
OUR SAMPLING SYSTEM WAS
PARTICULARLY CHALLENGING IN THAT
WE ALSO HAD TO KEEP IT VERY,
VERY CLEAN.
THIS IS PROBABLY THE CLEANEST
SYSTEM WE HAVE EVER LAUNCHED TO
MARS.
AND THE REASON WE NEEDED TO DO
THAT IS THAT THE SCIENCE
COMMUNITY, AS YOU JUST HEARD, IS
LOOKING FOR TRACE SIGNATURES
FROM BILLIONS OF YEARS AGO,
TRACE CHEMICAL SIGNATURES.
WE DON'T WANT TO CONFUSE THE
SEARCH FOR THOSE ANCIENT SIGNS
OF LIFE WITH CONTAMINATION WE
TOOK WITH US TO MARS AND BROUGHT
BACK.
THAT REQUIRED A LOT OF EFFORT TO
UNDERSTAND HOW TO GET THE SYSTEM
BIOLOGICALLY AND CHEMICALLY AS
CLEAN AS WE NEEDED IT.
THOSE ARE SOME OF THE
CHALLENGES, SOME OF THOSE COME
ALONG WITH THE TERRITORY.
I WILL SAY A FEW MONTHS AGO WE
WERE FACED WITH SOMETHING WE
NEVER EXPECTED AS WAS THE REST
OF OUR COMMUNITY AND THE REST OF
THE COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.
AND THAT'S THE PANDEMIC.
IT BEGAN TO FOCUS IN MID MARCH,
WE WERE AT A CRITICAL TIME.
ALL THE ELEMENTS WERE AT KENNEDY
SPACE CENTER.
WE HAD TO ASSEMBLE AND DO THE
FINAL TEST.
YOU CAN'T MAKE A MISTAKE AT THAT
POINT.
AND, OF COURSE, THE ENVIRONMENT
MADE THAT MORE DIFFICULT.
WE HAVE A SHORT VIDEO TO TALK
ABOUT THAT FINAL PROCESSING AND
HOW WE APPROACH THOSE CHALLENGES
RELATIVE TO THE COVID-19
SITUATION.
♪
>> THIS NEW ROVER WILL SEARCH
FOR SIGNS OF ANCIENT LIFE, TEST
NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND GATHER ROCK
SAMPLES WHICH MAY BECOME THE
FIRST PIECES OF THE RED PLANET
RETURNED TO EARTH.
>> TODAY WE ARE NAMING A
SPACECRAFT THAT WILL GO TO MARS
AND THE NAME IS PERSEVERANCE!
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
>> WHEN PERSEVERANCE WAS FIRST
SELECTED, I WASN'T SURE ABOUT
IT, TO BE HONEST.
♪
>> WHEN THE PANDEMIC STRUCK, THE
FUTURE WAS CERTAINLY UNKNOWN.
IT WAS LIKE WALKING INTO A
BLIND, DARK ALLEY.
YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS IN
FRONT OF YOU, WHAT YOU WERE
GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
IT'S SOMETHING NOBODY EXPECTED,
SOMETHIG NOBODY COULD PLAN FOR.
RATHER THAN FIRST PRIORITY
MISSION SUCCESS, YOUR FIRST
PRIORITY GETS DISPLACED AND IT'S
NOW THE SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE.
IT TOOK A LOT OF WORK TO PUT
STUFF TOGETHER TO KEEP MOMENTUM
GOING AND KEEP PEOPLE WORKING
SAFELY, KEEP THEM HEALTHY AND
KE.
>> WE CALLED THE PROJECT MARS
2020 SAFE AT WORK.
THE OBJECTIVE WAS TO KEEP THE
TEAM SAFE OR SAFER IF THEY WERE
NOT WORKING.
PUTTING A SPACECRAFT TOGETHER
GOING TO MARSND NOT MAKING A
MISTAKE IS HARD.
TRYING TO DO IT DURING THE
MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC, IT'S A LOT
HARDER.
>> THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT
WORKING IN ISOLATION, NOT
VIRTUAL ISOLATION, BUT IN
PHYSICAL ISOLATION FROM EVERYONE
ELSE IS A CHALLENGE.
>> HARD FOR ME, I HAVE TWO YOUNG
KIDS.
SOMETIMES I'M NOT ABLE TO FOCUS
OR LISTEN PROBABLY AS WELL AS I
WOULD WANT TO.
>> A LOT OF OUR WORK WAS
OCCURRING IN A CLEAN ROOM
ANYWAY.
THAT MEANT BEFORE WE ENTERED, WE
HAD TO FIND WAYS OF ENSURING WE
WERE NOT PUTTING OURSELVES OR
OTHERS AT RISK.
>> WE ARE DOING SOMETHING THAT'S
TRANSFORMATIVE AND TRYING TO
UNDERSTAND WHETHER OR NOT LIFE
EVOLVED ON ANOTHER PLANET.
THAT'S THE FUNDAMENTAL OBJECTIVE
OF THIS MISSION.
>> WE ARE EXPLORERS.
OUR JOB IS TO GO INTO THE
UNKNOWN.
THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE
UNKNOWN, HOW TO MAKE THIS JOB
HAPPEN WHEN YOU ARE DOING IT
LARGELY THROUGH A COMPUTER
SCREEN.
>> EVERYBODY THAT I HAVE TALKED
TO THAT'S ASSOCTED WITH THE
MISSION HAS SAID THE SAME THING
WHICH IS YOU COULD NOT HAVE COME
UP WITH A BETTER NAME THAN
PERSEVERANCE.
>> I'M A CONVERT.
PERSEVERANCE IS THE RIGHT NAME.
>> IT'S AMAZING WE GET TO
PERSEVERE THROUGH WORKING ON
PERSEVERANCE.
>> I THINK IT NOW IS AN
IMPORTANT SYMBOL OF HUMANITY
HOPEFULLY PERSEVERING THROUGH
THIS CHALLENGING TIME WE HAVE
RIGHT NOW.
>> SO YOU CAN SEE IT WAS A
CHALLENGE FOR US TO OVERCOME
THIS.
WE UNDERSTAND THE MARS 2020
COMMUNITY WAS NOT THE ONLY GROUP
FACING THIS.
AS I SAID, THE COMMUNITY, THE
COUNTRY AND AROUND THE GLOBE,
EVERYBODY HAD TO DEAL WITH THIS.
I ASKED THE TEAM A COUPLE OF
MONTHS AGO IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO
DO SOMETHING TO SYMBOLIZE AND
MARK THESE CHALLENGES WE FACED.
THEY DESIGNED SOMETHING WE
CALLED A COVID-19 PERSEVERANCE
PLATE.
THIS IS A PLATE THAT'S NOW
AFFIXED TO THE PORT SIDE OF THE
ROVER.
IT HAS A SYMBOL OF A GLOBE
REPRESENTING ALL OF US THAT
FACED THIS CHALLENGE TOGETHER.
THIS SPACECRAFT LEAVING THE
EARTH ON ITS WAY TO MARS AND ALL
OF THIS SUPPORTED BY THEOW
FAMILIAR STAFF AND SERPENT OF
THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY.
THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY ON THE
FRONT LINES KEEPING US SAFE.
THEY INSPIRED US THROUGH THIS
PERIOD.
AND WE HOPE THAT THIS PLATE AND
WEOPE THAT THIS MISSION IN
SOME SMALL WAY CAN INSPIRE THEM
IN RETURN.
THIS HAS BEEN A TEAM EFFORT ALL
ALONG.
IT'S A BIG GROUP OF PEOPLE
THAT'S REQUIRED TO DO THIS TYPE
OF MISSION.
AND IT'S NOT JUST THE PEOPLE ON
THE TEAM, BUT IT IS THE PEOPLE
THAT SUPPORT US FROM THE PUBLIC.
AND TO MARK THAT WE ARE CARRYING
THIS PLATE THAT YOU SEE HERE.
IT HAS THREE MICROFICHE, THEY
HOLD THE 11 MILLION NAMES OF THE
PEOPLE THAT SIGNED UP TO TAKE
THEIR NAME ALONG WITH THIS
SPACECRAFT TO MARS.
WE ARE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT
INTEREST AND THE SUPPORT THAT WE
HAVE.
AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT MAY
BEINGS THIS JOB SO EXCITING.
I MENTIONED THE TEAM.
AS I SAID, IT'S A BIG TEAM.
THIS IS JUST THE TEAM HERE AT
JPL THAT ARE PART OF THIS
DEVELOPMENT.
IN FACT, THE TEAM SPANS EVERY
CENTER IN THE AGENCY PRETTY MUCH
AS WELL AS OUR INTERNATIONAL
CONTRIBUTORS AND OUR TREMENDOUS
INDUSTRY PARTNERS THAT HAVE BEEN
PART OF THIS.
EVERYBODY HAS WORKED TOGETHER.
A LOT OF DAYS, A LOT OF NIGHTS,
WEEKENDS AND HOLIDAYS TO GET US
TO THE POINT WHERE WE ARE AT.
TO TELL YOU MORE ABOUT THE
INTEGRATION AND TEST ACTIVITY
THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING AT KENNEDY
SPACE CENTER AND THE FINAL STEPS
TO GET US TO THE PAD, I'M GOING
TO HAND IT OFF TO LOUISE.
>> THE TEAM STARTED ASSEMBLY OF
THE SPACECRAFT AT JPL IN JANUARY
OF 2018.
THE TEAM IS THE TEAM ON THE
PROJECT THAT'S ENTRUSTED WITH
PUTTING TOGETHER THE FINAL
FLIGHT VEHICLE.
WE TAKE COMPONENTS FROM ACROSS
JPL, THE U.S. AND WORLD AND
START POPULATING THAT ON TO THE
SPACECRAFT AND TESTING THEM TO
MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WORKS
PROPERLY.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT RADIO,
FLIGHT COMPUTER, ALL THE
INSTRUMENTS THAT ALLOW THE
SPACECRAFT TO DO ITS MISSION
ONCE IT GETS TO MARS.
WE SHIPPED THE SPACECRAFT IN
PIECES.
ALL THE INDIVIDUAL STAGES WERE
SHIPPEINDEPENDENTLY, THE CREW
STAGE, DISSENT, BACK SHIELD,
HEAT SHIELD.
WE DID TESTING TO MAKE SURE
NOTHING WAS DAMAGED IN
TRANSPORTATION.
THEN WE BEGAN TO ASSEMBLE THE
SPACOR THE LAST TIME.
AS THE DEPUTY ELECTRICAL AND
TEST LEAD FOR THE TEAM, MY MAIN
FOCUS IS ON INTEGRATING THE
ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS WHILE
MAKING SURE THAT THE PERSONNEL
AND HARDWARE IS KEPT AS SAFE AS
POSSIBLE.
IT'S A HIGHLY STRESSFUL, HIGHLY
DEMANDING ENVIRONMENT, BUT
EXTREMELY REWARDING TO SEE THE
SPACECRAFT PUT TOGETHER LIKE
THAT.
AT THE MOMENT WE ARE IN THE
PROCESS OF ELECTRICALLY
INTEGRATING THE HARNESS THAT
CONNECTS THE SPACECRAFT TO THE
LAST STAGE OF THE LAUNCH VEHICLE
WHICH WAS JUST INSTALLED LAST
NIGHT.
AS SOON AS I'M DONE HERE, I'M
GOING TO HEAD IN TO CHECK THAT
OUT.
AFTER THAT'S COMPLETE, WE'LL
BEGIN ENCOP SOLATION OF THE
SWAYS CRAFT.
IT'S WHERE WE CLAM SHELL IN
BETWEEN ITS TWO PAYLOADS.
AS YOU CAN SEE THE SPACECRAFT IS
A SMALL PART OF THIS LAUNCH
VEHICLE, BUT IT'S THE MOST
IMPORTANT PART.
WE ARE HOPING SHE GETS THERE
SAFE.
>> THANKS.
AND I ACTUALLY HAVE A COUPLE OF
QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
WHAT ELSE IS LEFT FOR YOUR TEAM
TO COMPLETE ON THE PERSEVERANCE
ROVER?
>> SO ONCE THE SPACECRAFT IS
ENCAPSULATED, WE'LL LIFT IT TO A
TRANSPORT VEHICLE, IT WILL TAKE
IT TO A FACILITY WHERE IT WILL
GET CRANED TO THE TOP OF THE
ROCKET AND WE'LL DO SOME FINAL
CLOSE-OUTS BEFORE WE LIGHT THE
CANDLE.
>> I HEARD YOU STARTED AS AN
INTERN FOR THE CURIOSITY ROVER.
WHAT IS IT LIKE TO WORK ON THIS
NEXT GENERATION ROVER AS IT GETS
TO THE LAUNCHED?
>> I STARTED AND IT WAS
INTERESTING MOVING FROM
DAY-TO-DAY, WEEK TO WEEK TASKS
WHEN I WAS A STUDENT TO BEING A
LEAD ON THIS IMPORTANT MISSION
AND TAKING A MUCH MORE STRATEGIC
PICTURE VIEW OF INTEGRATING A
SPACECRAFT.
I HAVE TOUCHED AND TESTED EVERY
FORM OF HARDWARE ON THIS
SPACECRAFT.
I APPRECIATE THE WORK NASA DOES
TO PROVIDE INTERNSHIPS TO
STUDENTS.
HAVING GROWN UP IN SOUTH CENTRAL
LOS ANGELES, I NEVER THOUGHT I
WOULD BE WHERE I AM AT TODAY.
IT'S AN HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO
WORK WITH THE BRILLIANT PEOPLE
ON THIS TEAM AT JPL AND NASA.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO LAUNCH
DAY.
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING MY
QUESTIONS.
HITCHING A RIDE ON THE
PERSEVERANCE ROVER IS THE MARS
HELICOPTER WHICH HAS A NEW NAME,
INGENUITY.
IT WILL ATTEMPT TO BE THE FIRST
POWERED FLIGHT ON ANOTHER
PLANET.
THE PROJECT MANAGER HAS AN
UPDATE ON THIS EXCITING NEW
TECHNOLOGY EXPERIMENT.
>> AT THIS TIME IT'S FULLY
INTEGRATED.
IT'S STOWED UNDER THE BELLY PAN
OF THE ROVER AND CHECKED OUT TO
BE FULLY OPERATIONAL IN THE
CONFIGURATION THAT IT'S GOING TO
BE LAUNCHED.
OUR TEAM IS PREPARING FOR
OPERATION AFTER LAUNCH UPDATING
SIMULATIONS AND  REHEARSING THE
SCENARIOS.
SCENARIOS ALL THE WAY THROUGH
THE FIRST ATTEMPT AT FLIGHT.
SEEING THE HELICOPTER GET
LAUNCHED IS EVERYTHING WE WORKED
FOR.
AFTER ALL OF US WORKING REALLY
HARD FOR OVER SIX YEARS, IT'S
GOING TO BE OUTSTANDING TO GET
TO ATTEMPT THE VERY FIRST
ROTOCRAFT FLIGHT TEST ON MARS
AND ON ANY OTHER PLANET OUTSIDE
OF MARS.
>> WE ARE JOIN WITH AN UPDATE.
>> HELLO THERE.
HELLO FROM FLORIDA.
WE ARE 34 DAYS FROM LAUNCH.
AND THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON
HAVE BEEN TOUCHED ON HERE.
THE SPACECRAFT WILL UNDERGO
ENCAPSULATION IN THE COMING
WEEKS.
THE LAUNCH VEHICLE, IF THEY CAN
ROLL THE TAPE, THIS IS ACTUALLY
THE ROVER COMING IN.
AND THIS IS MISLEADING BECAUSE
THAT ROVER, THAT'S ONE PIECE OF
IT.
THERE WAS 16 TRACTOR-TRAILERS
THAT CAME IN WITH OTHER
EQUIPMENT.
THERE WAS ANOTHER FLIGHT FOR
OTHER PIECES.
SO IT DID NOT JUST FIT IN TH
BOX.
THERE IS A LOT MORE THAT WENT
INTO THIS MISSION AND THE
ASSEMBLY START IN JANUARY BACK
HERE.
THIS IS ACTUALLY THE ATLAS
BOOSTER FROM ALABAMA WHERE IT'S
BUILT.
THE BOOSTER PROVIDES THE FIRST
4:20 OF POWER FOR THE FLIGHT
BEFORE THE SENTAR, THE UPPER
STAGE, TAKES OVER.
AND PUTS US INTO ITS FINAL
ESCAPE ORBIT FROM THE EARTH TO
MARS.
ALONG WITH THE FIRST STAGE
BOOSTER, OUR FOUR SOLID ROCKET
MOTORS, WHICH YOU SEE BEING
ASSEMBLED HERE, THOSE WILL BURN
FOR APPROXIMATELY 1:50 PROVIDING
THE INITIAL BOOST TO GET THAT
COMPLETE STACK OF THE FIRST
STAGE AND THE UPPER STAGE,
CURIOSITY, THE PAYLOAD FERRING.
THAT WILL GET US ON ITS WAY.
WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
JULY 20 FOR THAT 9:15 TIME TO
GET THEM GOING.
SO THAT THE BOOSTER CAN DO ITS
DISSENT AND LANDING INTO MARS IN
FEBRUARY.
ON BEHALF OF THE LAUNCH SERVICES
PROGRAM HERE, WE LOOK FORWARD TO
IT.
WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
FUELING THE VEHICLE THIS COMING
MONDAY AS PARTED OF OUR
REHEARSAL.
AFTER THAT, WE WILL BE PUTTING
THAT ENCAPSULATED ASSEMBLY OF
THE SPACECRAFT AND FERRING ON
TOP OF THE BOOSTER AND DOING THE
FINAL PREPARATIONS FOR
INSTALLATION OF THE POWER SOURCE
THAT WILL POWER THE ROVER FOR
YEARS TO COME.
SO FROM BEHALF OF NASA AND
LAUNCH SERVICES PROGRAM, IT'S A
PLEASURE TO DO THIS LAUNCH 34
DAYS FROM NOW.
WE'LL HAVE SOME HAPPY FACES
HERE.
>> THANKS FOR THE UPDATE.
WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE
HAPPY FACES.
NOW WE ARE READY TO TAKE MEDIA
QUESTIONS.
REMEMBER TO PRESS STAR 1 TO GET
PUT IN THE CUE.
WE ARE GOING TO TAKE QUESTIONS
THROUGH THE ASK NASA HASHTAG.
FIRST IS BILL HARWOOD FROM CBS
NEWS.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I APPRECIATE THE TIME.
TWO QUICK QUESTIONS.
I HAVE AN UPDATE FOR LORI, WHAT
IS THE TOTAL COST OF THIS
MISSION OR WHAT NUMBERS SHOULD
WE BE USING?
AND FOR OMAR AND MATT, HOW MUCH
RESERVE IS LEFT IN THE SCHEDULE
TO HANDLE ANYTHING THAT GOES OUT
OF THE ORDINARY?
DO YOU HAVE TIME FOR UNEXPECTED
ISSUES?
THANKS.
>> THANKS FOR THE QUESTION.
SO I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE COST
FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE
PERSEVERANCE ROVER ALL THE WAY
UP THROUGH LAUNCH IS ABOUT
$2.4 BILLION AND THERE IS
ANOTHER 300 MILLION THAT WE'LL
SPEND TO OPERATE PERSEVERANCE
AFTER ITS LAUNCHED, ON ITS WAY,
LANDINGS AND DO THE SURFACE
SCIENCE ONCE IT GETS TO MARS.
I WILL TOSS IT OVER TO OMAR AND
MATT.
>> RELATIVE TO THE SPACECRAFT,
THE KEY MARGIN THAT WE HAVE IS
IN THE LAUNCH WINDOW ITSELF.
WE ARE TARGETING THE FIRST
LAUNCH DAY AS JULY 20, AS OMAR
SAID.
THE WINDOW, IN FACT, LASTS UNTIL
AUGUST 11.
SO EVEN DURING THOSE SINGLE DAYS
WE HAVE MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES
TO RECYCLE IF THERE IS ISSUES.
WE THINK WE HAVE SOME ROBUSTNESS
THERE.
WE HAVE GOOD ROBUSTNESS IN THE
LAUNCH WINDOW.
RELATIVE TO THE VEHICLE LAUNCH
PROCESSING, I WILL TURN IT OVER
TO OMA
>> RELATIVE TO SCHEDULE, WE ARE
A GREEN LIGHT SCHEDULE FROM HERE
ON OUT.
IN OTHER WORDS, ANYTHING COULD
AFFECT THE LAUNCH DATE.
BUT WE HAVE PLENTY OF WINDOW OR
RUNWAY AHEAD OF US.
WE ARE NOT WORRIED ABOUT IT.
I'M SURE FLORIDA WEATHER AS ITS,
IT'S BEEN PERFECT THE LAST
COUPLE OF DAYS.
WE'LL RUN INTO SOME NOT SO
PERFECT DAYS THAT COULD SET US
BACK.
THE TEAM IS FLEXIBLE ENOUGH TO
BE ABLE TO HANDLE A THREE WEEK
WINDOW, I WOULD SAY.
WE HAVE ANALYZED THAT UP TO THE
11th OF AUGUST.
IF NEED BE IN THE ANALYSIS,
PROVIDES US ADDITIONAL MARGIN,
WE MIGHT GET OUT TO THE 15th
OF AUGUST.
NO CONCERNS FROM OUR PART.
>> NOW THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM
MARIA FROM THE ATLANTIC.
>> REPORTER: HI, EVERYONE.
THIS IS QUESTION IS FOR WHOEVER
WOULD LIKE TO TAKE IT.
THERE ARE SOME SCIENTISTS THAT
THINK NASA HAS GIVEN A LOT OF
ATTENTION TO ROBOTIC MISSIONS TO
MARS AND THEY WANT TO SEE OTHER
MISSIONS TO MOONS WHERE THERE
MIGHT BE LIFE NOW.
WHAT DO YOU SAY TO PEOPLE THAT
MARS IS OVERSTUDIED AND WE
SHOULD BE FOCUSING ELSEWHERE IN
THE SEARCH FOR LIFE?
>> I WILL BE HAPPY TO TAKE THAT
QUESTION.
THANK YOU.
I WILL TAKE IT.
YEAH, I, FOR ONE, AM A FAN OF
OUR ENTIRE SOLAR SYSTEM.
I LOVE EVERY DESTINATION WE
HAVE.
THERE IS INCREDIBLE SCIENCE
ACROSS THE ENTIRE SOLAR SYSTEM.
MARS HAS BEEN A FANTASTIC PLACE
TO REALLY EXPLORE IN DEPTH.
THE PROGRAM HAS DONE AN AMAZING
JOB AT MARS.
THERE IS STILL A LOT OF WORK TO
BE DONE THERE.
BUT I AGREE WITH YOU THAT THERE
ARE OTHER PLACES IN THE SOLAR
SYSTEM THAT MIGHT BE BETTER
PLACES TO BE LOOKING FOR ACTUAL
LIFE THAT MIGHT BE PRESENT
TODAY.
OF COURSE, THE MOONS OF JUPITER
AND SATURN, FOR EUROPA, TITAN,
ARE PLACES WHERE WE FEEL THERE
MAY  ENVIRONMENTS THAT COULD
BE CONDUCIVE TO HAVING LIFE
TODAY.
THE ONES COVERED IN ICE, LOW
PROBABILITY OF LIFE ON THE
SURFACE, BUT BENEATH THE ICE WE
BELIEVE THERE ARE DEEP OCEANS
THAT MAY HAVE THERMAL SOURCES
THAT RECYCLE THE NUTRIENTS AND
COULD BE SITES WHERE YOU THINK
YOU HAVE ALL THE INGREDIENTS
NECESSARY FOR LIFE.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR GREAT IDEAS
FOR OTHER MISSIONS.
WE HAVE THE CLIPPER THAT'S GOING
TO MAP THE SURFACE, ORBITING
MISSION THAT WILL ORBIT JUPITER.
THAT WILL LAUNCH LATER IN THIS
DECADE.
WE ARE DEVELOPING THE MISSION
DRAGONFLY WHICH WILL LAUNCH IN
2026 TO GO TO TITAN TO EXPLORE
THE ENVIRONMENTS THERE ON THE
SURFACE.
THAT'S THE NEXT ROTOCRAFT THAT
WILL FLY AND LAND ON THE SURFACE
OF TITAN.
THOSE ARE EXCELLENT
DESTINATIONS.
WE ARE INTERESTED IN THEM AND
PURSUING A VARIETY OF WAYS TO
GET THERE.
>> UP NEXT IS MARCIA DUNN WITH
AP.
>> REPORTER: YES, HELLO.
THANK YOU.
I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE
RETURN SAMPLES.
THE ANIMATION ALMOST MAKES IT
LOOK LIKE THE CYLINDERS WITH
SAMPLES ARE DROPPED ON THE
SURFACE WITH MARS, SCATTERED.
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO LEAVE THESE
SAMPLES FOR PICK UP?
DO THEY HAVE BEACONS IN CASE
THERE IS A DUST STORM.
AND MAYBE FOR DR. GLAZE, WHY TEN
YEARS TO GET THE SAMPLES BACK?
I KNOW YOU WANT THEM AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE AND WAITING A DECADE
SEEMS LIKE A LONG TIME.
IF YOU COULD ANSWER THAT, THAT
WOULD BE SWELL.
THANKS.
>> I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST KATIE
TAKE THE FIRST PART, OR MATT.
>> I CAN START OFF, KATIE CAN
JUMP IN HERE.
JUST TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE
SAMPLES ARE COLLECTED AND LEFT
ON THEURFACE.
WE DO COLLECT THEM AS INDIVIDUAL
TUBES.
WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DROP
THOSE TUBES IN ONES OR TWOS OR
GROUPS.
OUR CURRENT INTENT IS TO DROP
THEM IN A GROUPING SO THAT THE
FETCH ROVER, WHICH YOU SAW IN
THE ANIMATION, WOULD NOT HAVE TO
GO TO MANY LOCATIONS TO PICK
THOSE TUBES UP.
SO WE HAVE COMPLETE FLEXIBILITY,
THAT WOULD BE THE INTENT.
AS FAR AS THE DUST STORMS GO, WE
KNOW HOW THE SAND AND THE DUST
MOVES ON MARS.
WE KNOW WHA LOCATIONS TO SELECT
TO MAKE SURE THESE ARE NOT
AFFECTED BY THOSE TYPES OF
ISSUES.
SO WE DON'T THINK THERE IS GOING
TO BE ANY ISSUE WITH RESPECT TO
COVERING UP THE TUBES OVER THE
PERIOD OF TIME WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT OR FINDING THE TUBES ON
THE SURFACE.
KATIE CAN SAY A WORD OR TWO
ABOUT THE SCIENCE STRATEGY
ASSOCIATE WITH THAT.
>> THAT'S SOMETHING WE ARE STILL
VERY MUCH THINKING ABOUT AND
GUIDED BY OUR EXPLORATION ON THE
SURFACE AS WE DECIDE WHERE AND
HOW TO SAMPLE AND WHERE WE LIKE
TO LEAVE THAT SAMPLE CACHE.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT
WHAT SAMPLES GO IN WHAT CACHE AS
THE FETCH CAPABILITIES ARE
DEVELOPED.
THAT WILL BE AN ACTIVE
CONVERSATION WE HAVE WITH THE
MARS 2020 PROJECT AS WELL AS THE
SAMPLE RETURN ARCHITECTURE AS IT
DEVELOPS.
>> GREAT.
I WILL TRY TO TAKE THE NEXT PART
OF THAT QUESTION.
WHY DOES IT TAKE SO LONG TO GET
THE SAMPLES BACK.
YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, WE
WANT TO GET THOSE SAMPLES BACK
HERE.
THEY ARE VERY PRECIOUS.
WE WANT TO GET THEM BACK HERE SO
WE CAN START THE ANALYSIS AND
LEARN FROM THE SAMPLES.
THIS IS A REALLY COMPLEX CONCEPT
TO TRY AND BRING THOSE SAMPLES
BACK.
WE HAVE KNOWN FROM THE VERY
BEGINNING THAT THIS WAS NOT
GOING TO BE A SIMPLE MISSION
WHERE WE SIMPLY FLY TO MARS,
COLLECT THE SAMPLES AND BRING
THEM BACK.
WE HAVE KNOWN IT WAS GOING TO
REQUIRE MULTIPLE STEPS AND
LAUNCHES TO GET THE SAMPLES
BACK.
NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF THE TIME
REQUIRED, BUT THE COST AS WELL.
WE NEED TO PACE THAT OUT.
WE ARE REALLY IN A GREAT
POSITION RIGHT NOW WHERE WE HAVE
DEVELOPED A FANTASTIC
PARTNERSHIP WITH EUROPEAN SPACE
AGENCY WHICH ALLOWS US TO GET
THE SAMPLES BACK.
BY COLLABORATI, WE HAVE TWO
LAUNCHERS FROM EARTH, A EUROPEAN
AND NASA LAUNCH.
IT ALLOWS US TO DO IT IN A
SHORTER TIME PERIOD.
RIGHT NOW WE ARE WORKING ON AND
DEVELOPING A PLAN FOR THAT.
WE ARE PLANNING ON A LUNCH FOR
2026.
IT TAKES TIME TO GET OUT THERE,
PICK UP THE SAMPLES AND GET OUT
OF ORBIT AT MARS AND GET THEM
BACK.
IT'S A LONG PROCESS.
WE ARE DEDICATED TO AND GETTING
IT BACK.
>> ON THE LINE WE HAVE KEITH
COHEN WITH NASA WATCH.
>> REPORTER: I HAVE A BRAND NEW
QUESTION.
YOU BROUGHT BACK THE WORM LOGO.
BOBBY BROWN WAS ON 60 MINUTES
AND REFERRED THIS AS NASA'S
FIRST ASTRO BIOLOGY MISSION.
NASA IS A PROGRAM THAT'S BEEN
GOING ON FOR 20 YEARS.
IF YOU GO TO THE WEBSITE FOR
THIS MISSION, UNLESS YOU KNOW
WHERE THE ONE PAGE WHERE IT
MENTIONS ASTRO BIOLOGY, THERE IS
NO LINKS.
YOU GO TO THE ASTRO BIOLOGY
THING, THEY DON'T KNOW IT'S
HAPPENING TODAY.
THEY DON'T MENTION THE ROVER.
THERE ARE GOING TO BE FOUR
ROVERS ON MARS DOING ASTRO
BIOLOGY.
IT'S A BIG DEAL.
WHY CAN'T NASA GET THEIR ACT
TOGETHER AND HOPING TO HEAR YOU
ARE GOING TO GET THIS FIGURED
OUT BY THE TIME THE THING LANDS.
>> KEITH, THAT'S A GREAT
QUESTION AND A GREAT POINT.
I WILL TELL YOU, ASTRO BIOLOGY
IS REALLY SOMETHING, IT DEPENDS
HOW YOU DEFINE IT, WHETHER OR
NOT THIS IS THE FIRST MISSION OR
NOT.
IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT WE DID WITH
SPIRIT AND OPPORTUNITY, WE MADE
DISCOVERIES.
WE DISCOVERED ON THE NORTH
ATMOSPHERE OF MARS, IT HAD
WATER, IT HAD A STRONG
ATMOSPHERE AND STRONG
MAGNITOSPHERE.
IT INDICATES THAT MARS WAS AT
ONE TIME HABITABLE.
IT COULD HAVE SUPPORTED LIFE.
EVEN WHEN WE WERE DOING SPIRIT
AND OPPORTUNITY, THAT THOSE
MISSIONS WERE ASTRO BIOLOGY
MISSIONS.
WITH CURIOSITY AND NOW
PERSEVERANCE, WE ARE BUILDING ON
THAT BASE OF KNOWLEDGE.
ALL OF THAT IS SO IMPORTANT.
WE ARE, IN FACT, TRYING TO FIND
SIGNATURES OF LIFE.
AND, OF COURSE, WE ARE
INTERESTED IN FINDING LIFE
ITSELF.
THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS MISSION
SPECIFICALLY IS ALL ABOUT.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU IN THE LAST
COUPLE OF YEARS NASA HAS MADE
SOME SIGNIFICANT DISCOVERIES.
COMPLEX ORGANIC COMPOUNDS ON THE
SURFACE OF MARS.
METHANE CYCLES THAT MATCH THE
SEASON OF MARS.
LIQUID WATER 12 KILOMETERS UNDER
THE SURFACE OF MARS.
THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS
BUILDING UP HERE TO SAY THAT THE
PROBABILITY OF FINDING LIFE ON
ANOTHER WORLD IS GOING UP.
WE ARE NOT SAYING IT'S THERE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S THERE.
NOBODY ELSE KNOWS EITHER.
BUT THAT'S WHAT ASTRO BIOLOGY IS
ALL ABOUT.
AND MARS GIVES US THE BEST
OPPORTUNITY, I THINK, IN THE
SHORT TERM TO MAKE A SIGNIFICANT
DISCOVERY WILL CHANGE HOW WE
THINK OF OURSELVES AND FOREVER
CHANGE HOW WE THINK OF SPACE
EXPLORATION IN GENERAL.
WE CAN FIND LIFE ON ANOTHER
WORLD, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE SO
EXCITED ABOUT THE DISCOVERY AND
WHAT COMES NEXT, THAT WE ARE
GOING TO BE DOING MISSIONS
THROUGHOUT THE SOLAR SYSTEM.
I KNOW THE QUESTION ABOUT WHY
ARE WE GOING TO MARS AND NOT
THESE OTHER PLACES, WE WANT TO
GO TO ALL OF THESE PLACES.
WE HAVE PLANS TO GO THERE.
IT'S ALSO TRUE THAT THE HIGHEST
PROBABILITY OF MAYBE FINDING
LIFE AT THIS POINT IS GOING TO
BE MARS.
THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO
WOULD SAY THAT EUROPA PROVIDES A
HIGHER PROBABILITY.
BUT IT'S GOING TO TAKE TIME.
WE ARE WORKING ON THAT.
JPL, I WANT TO GIVE A LOT OF
KUDOS AND COMPLIMENTS TO JPL.
WE CALL IT ONE OF NASA'S
CENTERS.
IT'S AFFILIATED WITH CAL TECH.
WHAT AN AMAZING JOB, THEY ARE
BUILDING THE PLANS AND HARDWARE
THAT'S GOING TO HELP US GETO
EUROPA, THAT MOON OF JUPITER
WHERE WE BELIEVE THERE IS THE
INGREDIENTS THAT COULD
POTENTIALLY HAVE LIFE.
THERE IS A LOT OF EXCITING
THINGS IN THE FIELD OF ASTRO
BIOLOGY.
15 YEARS AGO, EVEN TEN YEARS
AGO, IF YOU WOULD HAVE SAID
THESE THINGS, PEOPLE WOULD HAVE
LOOKED AT YOU LIKE YOU ARE CRAZY
IT'S BECOMING MORE REAL.
IT'S A GREAT QUESTION, A GREAT
POINT.
IT'S SOMETHING NASA THINKS ABOUT
ALL THE TIME.
>> THANKS.
WE HAVE BEEN GETTING QUESTIONS
COMING IN THROUGH THE ASK NASA
HASHTAG.
EVERYONE ON TWITTER IS ASKING
APART FROM ENTRY, DISSENT AND
LANDING, WHAT IS THE MOST
CHALLENGING PART OF THE MISSION?
>> I CAN TRY TO ANSWER THAT
QUESTION.
THERE IS A LOT TO CHOOSE FROM.
THESE MISSIONS ARE VERY
DIFFICULT.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE CHALLENGE
JUST IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS
DEALING WITH THE PANDEMIC,
OBVIOUSLY.
I THINK FROM A BASIC MISSION
PERSPECTIVE, THE MOST DIFFICULT
PART HAS BEEN BUILDING AND
TESTING THE SAMPLING SYSTEM THAT
WE REFERRED TO.
AS I SAID BEFORE, IT'S COMPOSED
OF A LOT OF DIFFERENT
MECHANISMS.
THESE ARE SYSTEMS THAT HAVE TO
OPERATE AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL OF
RELIABILITY.
THEY HAVE TO OPERATE
AUTONOMOUSLY.
THERE IS A LOT OF CONTROL AND
AUTONOMY IN OUR SOFTWARE SYSTEMS
THAT GO ALONG WITH THEM.
THEY REQUIRE EXTENSIVE TEST
FACILITIES SO WE CAN SIMULATE
THE MARTIAN ENVIRONMENT AND
ROCKS.
ON THIS MISSION IN PARTICULAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SEARCH FOR THOSE
VERY FAINT BIOSIGNATURES WHICH
KATIE AND OTHER PEOPLE TALKED
ABOUT, WE HAD TO KEEP THEM
ESSENTIALLY STERILE FROM A
BIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE AND
EXCEPTIONALLY CLEAN, ESPECIALLY
ORGANICALLY CLEAN, WHICH ARE THE
CHEMICAL SIGNATURES WE ARE MOST
INTERESTED IN.
THAT'S A DIFFICULT THING TO DO
WHEN THE REST OF YOUR SPACECRAFT
IS REALLY DESIGNED AND INHERITED
FROM THE SYSTEMS THAT WE HAVE TO
USE IN THE AEROSPACE INDUSTRY
AND IN CIVIL SPACE.
SO WE HAD TO ISOLATE A LOT OF
THE KEY CRITICAL COMPONENTS FRO
THE OTHER PARTS OF THE
SPACECRAFT FROM A CONTAMINATION
PERSPECTIVE.
THAT WAS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE
FOR THIS MISSION.
>> ONCE WE GET ON THE SURFACE OF
MARS, WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY
TO PUT TOGETHER A CACHE OF
SAMPLES THAT IS COMPELLING
ENOUGH AND WORTHY ENOUGH TO
RETURN TO EARTH AND INTERESTING
ENOUGH THAT IT WILL PROTELL AND
DRIVE FUTURE GENERATIONS OF MARS
SCIENCE.
WE TAKE THAT SERIOUSLY.
WE HAVE A TOUGH JOB TO DO ON THE
SURFACE TO PUT THAT SAMPLE CACHE
TOGETHER.
THAT'S A CHALLENGE WE HAVE, PUT
TOGETHER DIVERSE SAMPLES THAT WE
COVER THE GROUND TO GET THAT JOB
DONE.
WE TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY.
THAT'S A BIG CHALLENGE FOR OUR
TEAM ONCE WE GET ON MARS.
>> THANKS, KATIE.
MATT, YOU TOUCHED ON THIS.
IS THERE ANY LEVEL OF AUTONOMY
INCLUDED ON THIS MARS ROVER?
>> THERE IS A LOT OF AUTONOMY.
AGAIN, JUST STARTING WITH THE
ENTRY, DECENT AND LDING
ACTIVITY.
ONE WAY LANDING IS ABOUT TEN
MINUTES.
FROM THE TIME WE HIT THE OUTER
ATMOSPHERE TO SAFELY ON THE
GROUND, IT'S ABOUT SEVEN
MINUTES.
WE REFER TO IT AS THE SEVEN
MINUTES OF TERROR.
THERE IS NO INTERACTION WIT THE
SPACECRAFT DURING THAT TIME.
IT HAS TO DO THAT ENTIRE PROCESS
ITSELF.
WHERE IT IS FROM A NAVIGATION
PERSPECTIVE, IT HAS TO KNOW WHEN
TO JETSON THE CREW STAGE, DEPLOY
THE PARACHUTE.
I TALKED ABOUT THIS TERRAIN
RELATIVE NAVIGATION SYSTEM, THIS
IS ANOTHER LEVEL OF AUTONOMY WE
ARE LAYING ON TOP OF OUR
HISTORICAL AUTONOMY MISSIONS.
THESE FUTURE HUMAN MISSIONS AND
SAMPLE RETURN MISSION, TRY AND
UNDERSTAND WHERE THOSE HAZARDS
ARE AND DIVERT AWAY FROM THEM
REQUIRES THE SPACECRAFT TO
UNDERSTAND, TO DO THOSE THINGS
ON ITS OWN.
THAT'S BEFORE WE EVEN GET TO THE
SURFACE.
WON WE ARE ON THE SURFACE, WE
ARE ONLY ABLE TO COMMAND THE
VEHICLE ONCE A DAY.
IT WILL SLEEP AND CONSERVE POWER
OVERNIGHT, WAKE UP IN THE
MORNING, WE'LL SEND A SEQUENCE
OF COMMANDS, GIVE IT ITS SET OF
ACTIVITIES TO DO AND IT HAS TO
CARRY THEM OUT BY ITSELF.
IT HAS TO MAKE DECISIONS HOW TO
DRIVE TO THE TARGET AND DOT DO E
SAMPLING AND KEEPING IT SAFE.
THERE IS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF
AUTONOMY IN THE VEHICLE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES THE
SYSTEM SO COMPLEX.
>> BACK TO THE PHONE LINES, WE
HAVE GINA FROM ABC.
>> REPORTER: MY QUESTION HAS
BEEN ASKED.
THANK YOU.
>> THANKS.
WE'LL GO NEXT TO MIKE WALL FROM
SPACE.COM.
>> THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS.
THIS ONE IS PROBABLY FOR MATT.
IT'S ABOUT THE HELICOPTER.
I WOULD LIKE A FEW DETAILS WHAT
YOUONSIDER MISSION SUCCESS FOR
THE HELICOPTER, HOW MANY FLIGHTS
DO YOU HOPE TO MAKE, HOW FAR
WILL THE FLIGHTS BE.
IS THERE A POSSIBILITY WE'LL GET
SEVEPERSEVERANCE VIEWS OF THE
HELICOPTER GOING UP.
THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC IF YOU
CAN PULL IT OFF.
>> I WILL SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT
THE HELICOPTER.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S CUTTING
EDGE.
AS THE ADMINISTRATOR SAID, THIS
IS SOMETHING THAT'S NEVER BEEN
ATTEMPTED BEFORE.
FLYING IN MARTIAN ATMOSPHERE
CONDITIONS, IT'S 1% THE DENSITY
WE HAVE ON EARTH AND TRYING TO
CONTROL A SYSTEM UNDER THOSE
CONDITIONS IS NOT EASY IN
FLIGHT.
THEN YOU HAVE TO LAND IT SAFELY
IN AN UNKNOWN TERRAIN.
THESE ARE ALL BIG CHALLENGES.
THAT'S WHY THIS IS A TECHNOLOGY
DEMONSTRATION PAYLOAD.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE
TAKING WITH US SO WE CAN LEARN
HOW TO DO THIS FOR FUTURE
MISSIONS.
SO THAT'S REALLY THE OBJECTIVE
IS TO GET THE HELICOPTER, JUST
TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE ON THE
VEHICLE WAS A BIG STEP, GETTING
IT TO MARS, GETTING IT SAFELY
OFF THE VEHICLE, WE'LL LEARN A
LOT.
JUST THE VERY FIRST FLIGHT WHERE
THIS HELICOPTER SPINS ITS
ROTORS, WE ARE GOING TO LEARN A
LOT.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR AN EXTENSIVE
AND AMBITIOUS RETURN FROM THIS
TECHNOLOGY, WE ARE LOOKING TO
LEARN THE FIRST FEW THINGS WE
NEED TO LEARN.
WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO IMAGE THE
HELICOPTER WHILE IT'S FLYING.
WE'LL HAVE A SAFE STAND-OFF
DISTANCE.
50 METERS OR SO.
WE HAVE POWERFUL CAMERAS THAT WE
HOPE WILL CATCH THE FLIGHT.
WHETHER OR NOT THE HELICOPTER
WILL SEE THE VEHICLE, THE
PERSEVERANCE ROVER, WILL DEPEND
ON ORIENTATION AND HOW HIGH IT
GOES AND THOSE SORTSF THINGS.
>> THANKS.
NOW ON THE LINE WE HAVE LAUREN
GERSH FROM THE VERGE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING
MY QUESTION.
I THINK THIS IS FOR KATIE
POSSIBLY.
SEEING AS HOW PERSEVERANCE IS
ABOUT DECIDING WHETHER OR NOT
MARS HAS LIFE, I'M WONDERING
WHETHER YOU HAVE FOUND EVIDENCE
OF PAST LIFE ON MARS.
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
IT'S ONE WE THINK A LOT ABOUT ON
THE SCIENCE TEAM.
OUR BAR IS HIGH FOR THE
IDENTIFICATION OF A SIGN OF LIFE
ON ANOTHER PLANET AS IT SHOULD
BE.
WE DON'T WANT TO MAKE THAT
DISCOVERY LIGHTLY.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME WITH
PERSEVERANCE AND ITS GOAL OF
SEEKING SIGNS OF ANCIENT LIFE,
WE HAVE TO OPEN OUR MINDS TO
POSSIBILITIES OF WHAT LIFE COULD
LOOK LIKE AND LOOKING FOR
EXAMPLES OF SOMETHING THAT'S
SIMILAR TO WHAT WE SEE IN
BIOSIGNATURES AND OUR OWN EARTH
RECORD.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR TEXTURES AND
SIGNS THAT WE WONDER HOW COULD
IT FORM OUTLIFE.
COULD IT HAVE FORM IN ABIOTIC
WAY.
I THINK THAT'S WHEN WE START TO
SAY THIS COULD BE A POTENTIAL
BIOSIGNATURE.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO REALIZE THAT
VERY LIKELY WE'LL HAVE TO RETURN
THAT DEFINITIVE CONCLUSION ABOUT
WHETHER THESE SAMPLES CONTAIN
LIFE IN THEM.
FOR THE PERSEVERANCE SIDE, WE
SEE IT AS OUR JOB TO IDENTIFY
POTENTIAL BIOSIGNATURES, THINGS
WORTHY OF STUDY HERE ON EARTH.
I THINK THAT'S HOW WE'LL
APPROACH THAT QUESTION ON THE
SURFACE OF MARS.
>> UP NEXT WE HAVE ANTONIA WITH
FLORIDA TODAY.
>> REPORTER: THANKS FOR TAKING
MY QUESTION.
I WAS WONDERING AS CASES OF
CORONAVIRUS IN FLORIDA CONTINUE
TO RISE, WILL NASA ASK THE FOUR
WATCH THIS FROM HOME AND WILL IT
PROVIDE A VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE
SHOW LIKE IT DID FOR DEMO-2?
THANKS.
>> FOR THIS PARTICULAR MISSION
WE ARE ASKING PEOPLE TO FOLLOW
THE GUIDELINES OF THE GOVERNOR
OF FLORIDA, WE WANT EVERYBODY TO
PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING.
AND IF YOU ARE WITHIN SIX FEET,
MAKE SURE YOU ARE WEARING A
MASK, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
WE ARE NOT TELLING PEOPLE NOT TO
VISIT FOR THE LAUNCH.
WE ARE NOT SAYING THAT.
WHAT WE DO HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE
DO, WE PROTECT THE WORK FORCE AT
THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER.
WE HAVE THE ENTRY, DECENT AND
LANDING OF THE CREW DRAGON THAT
TOOK OUR ASTRONAUTS TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
WE HAVE A LOT OF OTHER
ACTIVITIES.
SO WE ARE NOT GOING TO OPEN UP
THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, BUT
CERTAINLY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO
TRAVEL.
WE ASK PEOPLE NOT TO TRAVEL FOR
DM-2 WHICH WAS THE LAUNCH OF THE
FALCON 9 ROCKET WITH THE CREW
DRAGON AND DOUG HURLEY AND BOB
IN THE CAPSULE.
WE ARE ASKING PEOPLE TO FOLLOW
ALL OF THE NECESSARY GUIDELINES
TO KEEP THEMSELVES SAFE.
WE ARE TRUSTING THEY WILL.
>> UP NEXT IS DAVE MOSIER WITH
BUSINESS INSIDER.
>> REPORTER: THANK YOU FOR
TAKING MY QUESTION.
GOOD LUCK WITH THE LAUNCH.
YOU MENTIONED THE CAMERAS.
WHAT RESOLUTION WILL THEY FILM
IN, WHEN WE MIGHT EXPECT THAT
SEVEN MINUTES OF TERROR IMAGE TO
GET BACK TO EARTH.
I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A
DISCRETIONARY PAYLOAD.
>> THOSE ARE ALL GOOD QUESTIONS.
I WILL TRY TO ANSWER THEM IN
SOME SORT OF ORDER.
TO START WITH, YOUR LAST
QUESTION, THESE ARE NOT IN
COMPETITION WITH ANY OTHER PAY
LOAD ON THE SPACECRAFT.
THEY WERE SELECTED VIA THE
NORMAL PROCESS.
AS WE GOT FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD
AND GOT MORE MATURE, WE REALIZED
WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY.
WE HAD RESIDUAL CAPABILITY TO
INSTALL THESE.
THEY TAKE VERY, VERY LITTLE MASS
AND VOLUME.
I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS
EXACTLY.
BUT THEY ARE ESSENTIALLY
UNNOTICEABLE AT THE SPACECRAFT
LEVEL AS FAR AS RESOURCE
REQUIREMENTS GO.
THAT'S BECAUSE WE DIDN'T BUILD
SOMETHING NEW, WE DIDN'T BUILD
SOMETHING THAT WAS PARTICULARLY
SOPHISTICATED.
WE WERE ABLE TO GO OUT AND USE
COMMERCIAL OFF THE SHELF
AVAILABLE PRODUCTS.
SO THAT MADE IT EASIER TO
DEVELOP THEM QUICKLY AT LOW COST
AND TO ACCOMMODATE THEM.
RESOLUTION-WISE, I HAVE TO
CHECKMENT I BELIEVE THEY ARE 10
MEGA PIXEL CAMERAS, 40 FRAMES
PER SECOND.
BUT WE CAN GET THE EXACT
NUMBERS.
THEY PRODUCE A LOT OF DATA.
THE DATA IS NOT GOING TO COME
BACK IN REALTIME.
WE HAVE LIMITED TELETRI.
WE'LL BRING THAT BACK DURING THE
FIRST COUPLE OF WEEKS ON THE
SURFACE.
>> UP NEXT IS PAUL BRINKMAN WITH
UPI.
>> REPORTER: THANKS FOR DOING
THIS.
OBVIOUSLY, THE MARS ROVERS HAVE
SURPRISED IN THE PAST IN TERMS
OF HOW LONG THEY HAVE STAYED
OPERATIONAL.
I'M WONDERING WHAT IS THE
OUTSIDE LENGTH OF TIME THAT BOTH
IS OPERATIONAL.
DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY FLIGHTS
THERE MIGHT BE FOR THE
HELICOPTER?
THANKS.
>> SO I CAN RESPOND TO THE
LONGEVITY QUESTION.
WE HAVE A PRIMARY MISSION
DEFINED FOR THE VEHICLE OF ONE
MARS YEAR WHICH IS ROUGHLY TWO
EARTH YEARS.
THAT'S SIMILAR TO THE DESIGN
REQUIREMENT FOR CURIOSITY.
AS YOU KNOW, CURIOSITY IS STILL
OPERATING ON THE SURFACE HERE
ABOUT EIGHT YEARS SINCE WE
LANDED.
THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT THESE
SYSTEMS IS THAT ALTHOUGH THEY
HAVE TO OPERATE IN A HARSH
ENVIRONMENT, THAT ENVIRONMENT IS
RELATIVELY REPEATABLE AND
STABLE.
SO ONCE YOU GET PAST THOSE
INITIAL ISSUES, INFANT MORTALITY
ISSUES, IT'S NOT UNUSUAL FOR OUR
SPACECRAFT TO CONTINUE ON FOR
WELL BEYOND THEIR DESIGNED
LIFETIME.
VOYAGER ARE THE BEST EXAMPLES I
CAN THINK OF.
BUT THERE IS NO GUARANTEE.
SO WE TRY TO OPERATE THE SYSTEM
UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT WE'LL
ONLY HAVE SO MUCH TIME TO GET
THE WORK DONE AND BUILD IT
ROBUSTLY AND HOPE WE GET MORE
TIME.
>> DOES ANYONE WANT TO TAKE ON
THE INGENUITY QUESTION?
>> ON INGENUITY, WE HAVE THREE
FLIGHTS DESIGNED FOR THE
SURFACE.
HOWEVER, WE ARE GOING TO TAKE
THEM ONE FLIGHT AT A TIME.
>> AND THEN UP NEXT IS TONI RICE
WITH WRAL.
>> REPORTER: THANKS FOR TAKING
MY QUESTION.
THIS IS FOR MATT WALLACE.
WHAT ARE THE FEW DISAPPOINTMENTS
WAS THE DAMAGE THAT OCCURRED ON
THE WIND SENSOR.
HAVE THERE BEEN CHANGES IN THE
PROCEDURE OR THE INSTRUMENT
ITSELF BASED ON WHAT YOU LEARNED
EIGHT YEARS AGO?
>> ONE OF THE THINGS WE LEARNED
WITH THE SKY CRANE SYSTEM IS THE
ABILITY TO KICK UP DUST.
WE HAVE MADE CHANGES ON THIS
PROJECT TO PROTECT THINGS THAT
ARE SENSITIVE TO THAT.
OPTICS, WIND SENSORS ARE GOOD
EXAMPLES.
WE HAVE A DEBRIS SHIELD AROUND
THE HELICOPTER ON THE BOTTOM OF
THE VEHICLE.
THE ANSWER IS YES, WE HAVE TRIED
TO ADJUST FOR THAT ENVIRONMENT.
>> THANKS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THE
LINES RIGHT NOW.
UP NEXT IS LEE WITH THE WALL
STREET JOURNAL.
>> REPORTER: THANK YOU FOR
TAKING MY QUESTION.
NASA IS NOT ALONE IN VOYAGING TO
MARS.
CHINA EXPECTS TO LAUNCH ITS
FIRST MARS LANDER, THE UNITED
ARAB EMIRATES IS LAUNCHING ITS
VEHICLE.
EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY AND RUSSIA
ARE PUTTING THEIR LANDER
TOGETHER FOR 2022.
AND SpaceX TALKS ABOUT THE
CACHE SUPPLIES FOR FUTURE
COLONISTS.
I WONDER IF YOU COMMENT ON THE
CHANGING NATURE OF SPACE
EXPLORATION.
WHAT ARE THE AGENCY AND
DIPLOMATIC EFFECTS FROM YOUR
VANTAGE?
>> THAT'S AN IMPORTANT QUESTION.
THE FIRST THING WE NEED IS
ADDITIONAL COMMUNICATION
THROUGH-PUT.
WE ARE AT THE LIMITS OF OUR
COMMUNICATION CAPABILITIES FOR
DEEP SPACE.
SO WE NEED TO PLUS UP THE
ARCHITECTURE.
A LOT OF THESE COUNTRIES THAT DO
THESE ACTIVITIES, THEY WANT TO
USE THE DEEP SPACE NETWORK THAT
NASA HAS ESTABLISHED.
WE ARE VERY WILLING TO SUPPORT
IN THAT EFFORT.
THIS IS ABOUT SCIENCE AND
DISCOVERY EXPLORATION.
WHEN PEOPLE SEE COUNTRIES DOING
THESE STUNNING THINGS IN OTHER
WORLDS, IT INSPIRES ALL OF US.
WE ARE SUPPORTIVE OF THESE
ACTIVITIES.
AND ULTIMATELY, REMEMBER WHAT WE
ARE TRYING TO DO, WE ARE TRYING
TO GET HUMANS TO MARS.
THAT'S THE OBJECTIVE.
AND THESE ROBOTIC PRECURSOR
MISSIONS OPEN THE EYES OF THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE AND PEOPLE
AROUND THE WORLD AS TO WHAT THE
POSSIBILITIES ARE AND IT HELPS
INSPIRE THAT NEXT GENERATION.
IN FACT, EVEN OUR GENERATION
WHERE WE SEE HUMANS LIVING AND
WORKING ON THE SURFACE OF MARS.
SO THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES INTO
THIS.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE UNITED
AROB EMIRATES AND THEIR MISSION.
WE HAVE DONE A LOT TO SUPPORT
THEM.
THEY WANT TO BE BIG SUPPORTERS
OF OURS IN THE ARTEMIS PROGRAM.
OF COURSE, THEY ARE VERY
INVOLVED, THEY ARE GOING TO BE
LAUNCHING IN A FEW SHORT YEARS
THEIR OWN ROVER TO THE SURFACE
OF THE MOON.
A LOT OF COUNTRIES ARE STEPPING
UP IN A BIG WAY.
COUNTRIES THAT HISTORICALLY HAVE
NOT BEEN EXPLORATION COUNTRIES
ARE STEPPING UP, NOT JUST
TALKING ABOUT IT, BUT BACKING IT
UP WITH BUDGETS.
ALL OF THIS IS GOING TO BE VERY
HELPFUL FOR US AS WE MOVE
FORWARD.
NASA IS AN INSTITUTION THAT IS A
TOOL OF DIPLOMACY.
THERE IS NO BETTER DIPLOMACY
THAN EXPLORING OUR OWN SOL
SYSTEM TOGETHER AND EVENTUALLY
THE REST OF OUR GALAXY AND
UNIVERSE.
>> THANKS, JIM.
NOW WE HAVE CHRIS AND KARLA WITH
KFI NEWS.
>> REPORTER: THANKS FOR TAKING
MY QUESTION.
JUST GOING BACK TO COVID REAL
QUICK, SPECIFIC CHALLENGES YOU
FACED.
THEY HAVE BEEN FAMOUS FOR
ADAPTING AND BUILDING OUT NEW
SYSTEMS.
WHAT ADAPTATIONS TO WORK FLOW
MAY BE CARRIED FORWARD IN THE
FUTURE?
WHAT LESSONS DID YOU LEARN
DURING THE SHUTDOWN?
>> I WILL START.
THERE IS SO MANY DIFFERENT
THINGS.
RIGHT NOW NASA IS WORKING
REMOTELY.
THEY HAVE BEEN FORWARD LEANING
ON TELEWORKING.
IT WAS EASY TO GO TO A PROFILE
WHERE MOST OF US ARE WORKING
REMOTELY.
THAT WAS NOT TERRIBLY
PROBLEMATIC.
AT THE SAME TIME WE STILL HAVE
TO BUILD HARDWARE.
OUR CONTRACTORS STILL HAVE TO
BUILD HARDWARE.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE ARE
DOING WHAT WE CAN FOR SOCIAL
DISTANCING, CHANGING SHIFTS.
SO INSTEAD OF HAVING 12 PEOPLE
WORKING ON A VEHICLE AT THE SAME
TIME, WE CAN DIVIDE IT UP.
INSTEAD HAVE EIGHT HOUR SHIFTS
FOUR PEOPLE WORKING ON AFTS OF
VEHICLE, MAKING SURE EVERYBODY
HAS THEIR PERSONAL PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENT AND THOSE KIND OF
THINGS.
AS WE MOVE FORWARD, AS WE START
GOING, WE WENT TO STAGE 4 AT A
LOT OF OUR CENTERS, WHICH MEANT
NOBODY CAN COME TO WORK BECAUSE
THERE WERE SOME OUTBREAKS OF
CORONAVIRUS WHERE THOSE CENTERS
ARE.
NOW WE CAN GO TO STAGE 3, WE
HAVE MISSION CRITICAL, NOT
MISSION ESSENTIAL, WHICH IS WHAT
MARS 2020 IS.
MISSION CRITICAL FUNCTIONS WHICH
ARE STILL IMPORTANT MISSIONS
THAT WE NEED TO START GETTING
BACK UNDER WAY.
AND EVENTUALLY WE WANT TO GET
BACK TO STAGE 2 AND NORMAL
WORKING ENVIRONMENT.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE TAKEN
AWAY IS HOW MUCH WORK YOU CAN
ACTUALLY DO WHEN YOU ARE STILL
AT HOME.
AND THERE IS DIFFERENT TYPES OF
WORK YOU ARE ABLE TO DO FROM
HOME.
WHEN I'M AT HOME, I'M DOING A
LOT MORE OUTREACH THAN I HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO DO BEFORE.
EVERYBODY IS A PHONE CALL OR
TELECONFERENCE AWAY.
WE ARE NOT HAVING TO ORGANIZE
SCHEDULES TO GET EVERYBODY'S
SCHEDULES TO MARCH AND
EVERYTHING ELSE.
THERE ARE AREAS WHERE YOU ARE
MORE PRODUCTIVE AND OTHER AREAS
WHERE YOU ARE LESS PRODUCTIVE.
WHEN WE GET BACK TO A MORE
NORMALIZED ENVIRONMENT, WE HAVE
TO TAKE THE LESSONS LEARNED AND
APPLY THEM.
JPL HAS BEEN THINKING ABOUT
THESE THINGS AS WELL.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY HAS
ANYTHING TO ADD.
>> I WILL JUST AGREE WITH YOU
COMPLETELY.
WE ARE CARRYING THESE LESNS
FORWARD.
WE ARE LOOKING INTO THE RELATIVE
TO 2020, WE ARE PULLING THE
LESSONS LEARNED THAT WE HAVE
ACQUIRED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL
MONTHS INTO OUR OPERATIONS.
THINKING ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS
WITH RESPECT TO CRITICAL
ACTIVITIES LIKE ENTRY, DECENT DT
AND LANDING.
WE ARE UNDERSTANDING THOUSAND
BRING PEOPLE IN TO GET THE WORK
DONE AS WAS DISCUSSED.
>> NEXT ON T LINES JENNIFER
WITH POPULAR MECHANICS.
>> REPORTER: HI.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING
THESE QUESTIONS.
A QUICK QUESTION FOR MAYBE
EITHER MATT OR KATIE.
WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO LEARN BY
RECORDING SOUND DURING THE
MISSION?
AND KATIE, ANOTHER QUICK
QUESTION, YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU
WERE A LITTLE IFFY ABOUT THE
NAME PERSEVERANCE.
WAS THERE ANOTHER NAME YOU
FAVORED PERHAPS?
THANK YOU AGAIN.
>> MAYBE I WILL START OFF, TO
YOUR FIRST QUESTION, WHAT WE
HOPE TO USE THE MICROPHONES FOR,
WE ARE EXCITED TO HEAR THE
SOUNDS OF MARS AND THE SOUNDS OF
THE ROVER INTERACTING WITH ITS
ENVIRONMENT.
WE'LL HEAR THE WHEELS AND GEARS
TURNING.
WE HAVE A MICROPHONE ON THE
SUPER CAM INSTRUMENT, WHEN WE
ZAP THE ROCKS, WE'LL HEAR THE
SOUND.
THAT MAY TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT
THE PROPERTIES OF THE ROCKS.
WE ARE EXCITED TO USE THE
ROVER'S EARS TO DO THAT.
IN TERMS OF THE NAMES, THERE
WERE NINE CANDITES THERE.
EVERYBODY HAD THEIR FAVORITE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAD A
PARTICULAR FAVORITE THERE.
BUT IN THE END, THE ROVER NAME,
WHEN IT'S SELECTED, IT BECOMES
PART OF THE ROVER.
ONCE THAT NAME IS SELECTED, YOU
CAN'T SEPARATE THE ROVER FROM
ITS NAME.
THOSE OF US WHO WORKED ON
PREVIOUS MISSIONS, IT HAPPENS.
ONCE THE NAME IS SELECTED, IT
JUST BECOMES.
THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENED FOR
PERSEVERANCE FOR ME PERSONALLY.
IT IS PERSEVERANCE, WE ARE
EXCITED THAT I IS.
>> THANK YOU.
AND UP NEXT IS LEO ENWRIGHT WITH
IRISH TELEVISION.
>> THANK YOU.
THIS IS FOR KATIE.
YOU TALKED ABOUT THE COMPLEXITY
OF COLLECTING SAMPLES.
MATT DAMON SAYS SCIENCE YOU KNOW
WHAT OUT OF MARS.
WE CAN SAY THAT THE CURIOSITY
ROVER HAS DONE THAT.
BUT IT DOES SEEM LIKE THE
TRAVERSE THERE HAS BEEN FAR, FAR
SLOWER THAN MOST PEOPLE WOULD
HAVE BEEN EXPECTED, FOR VERY
GOOD REASONS.
YELLOWKNIFE ALONE WOULD DELAY
YOU FOR MONTHS.
WILL THERE BE DIFFERENT TIME
PRESSURES ON THIS MISSION AT
EACH SAMPLE SITE JUST TO GET THE
SAMPLE AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT
TO COLLECT ENOUGH FOR THE RETURN
CACHE?
WILL IT BE MORE OF A SHOOT AND
SCOOT MISSION?
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, ONE
WE ARE THINKING A LOT ABOUT AS
WE COME UP WITH SCENARIOS FOR
THE MISSION AND WHAT THE SAMPLE
CACHE MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
WE WANT IT TO HAVE DIVERSITY, WE
WANT IT TO COVER THE INTERVAL OF
TIME THAT THE ROCKS REPRESENT.
THAT REQUIRES SUBSTANTIAL GROUND
TO PUT A CACHE TOGETHER LIKE
THAT.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF ADVANTAGES
ON OUR SIDE, PARTICULARLY IN
COMPARISON TO CURIOSITY.
PART OF THE REASON WE PICKED THE
CRATER, IT HAD A WELL UNDERSTOOD
ENVIRONMENT, WE COULD SEE AND
UNDERSTAND FROM ORBITAL IMAGES
ALONE.
IN CURIOSITY'S CASE AND GAIL
CRATER, YOU HAVE A 5-KILOMETER
THICK MOUND.
THE UNCERTAINTY OF WHAT THAT
MEANS.
WE HAD TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME
WITH THAT MISSION DOING THE
SCIENCE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ROCKS
WE ARE LOOKING AT.
WE KNOW WE HAVE A DELTA, WE HAD
A LAKE, WE KNOW THAT ANY CRATER
IS PERCHED ON THE RIM OF A GIANT
IMPACT BASIN.
SO WE EXPECT THINGS LIKE IMPACT
MEGA-P ETCHA.
THE FACT WE HAVE A GOOD
UNDERSTANDING OF THE SITE
ALREADY, HELPS US PLAN THE
SAMPLING.
I THINK WE WILL FEEL PRESSURE TO
COVER THAT GROUND BECAUSE WE
WANT TO PUT TOGETHER THE BEST
CACHE OF SAMPLES WE CAN.
BUT WE HAVE ADVANTAGE OF
PREVIOUS MISSIONS IN TERMS OF
HOW WELL WE UNDERSTAND THE SITE
ALREADY.
>> GREAT.
ONE MORE QUESTION.
>> REPORTER: HI THERE.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE
SCIENTISTS.
[INDISCERNIBLE] THE FIRST ONE,
YOU TALK ABOUT HOW THIS MISSION
THE VERY LATEST IN THE LONG
QUEST OF WHETHER THERE WAS LIFE
ON MARS.
COULD YOU DESCRIBE BRIEFLY, WHAT
IS IT ABOUT PERSEVERANCE THAT
ONE COULD DO THAT PREVIOUS
MISSIONS COULDN'T.
IF LIFE IS THERE [INDISCERNIBLE]
MUCH, MUCH CLOSER TO THAT
CONCEPT.
THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE
QUICKLY FOR THE GROUP AS WELL,
WE KNOW THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF
MISSIONS GOING TO MARS.
[INDISCERNIBLE] CAN YOU TALK
ABOUT HOW YOUR MISSION WILL
COMPLEMENT THE SCIENCE GOING ON
ELSEWHERE.
>> I WILL TACKLE YOUR FIRST
QUESTION.
THAT'S WHERE WE GET TO SOME OF
THE INSTRUMENTS AND SCIENTIFIC
PAYLOAD WE VE ON PERSEVERANCE.
THOSE INSTRUMENTS ON THE END OF
THE ARM THAT HAVE THE ABILITY TO
MAP IN FINE DETAIL CHEMICAL
COMPOSITION, MINERALLOLOGY AND
ORGANIC CARBON IN A WAY WE HAVE
NEVER BEEN ABLE TO DO BEFORE.
CURIOSITY HASHE ABILITY TO
DETECT ORGANIC CARBON.
BUT WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO LINK
THE PRESENCE OF THAT TO
PARTICULAR TEXTURES OR PATTERNS
WE SEE IN THE ROCK THAT COULD
HAVE BEEN LEFT BEHIND BY LIFE.
IT'S THAT CONNECTION OF THE
TEXTURES AND COMPOSITION THAT
ALLOW US TO MAKE A COMPELLING
CASE FOR A BIOSIGNATURE.
THE INSTRUMENTS ALLOW US TO DO
THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME ON THE
SURFACE OF MARS IN A
NONDESTRUCTIVE WAY AND IN A WAY
WE COLLECT OUR SAMPLES.
WE ARE COLLECTING PRESERVED
CORES OF ROCK THAT WE CAN BRING
BACK TO EARTH AND STUDY.
THAT'S HOW WE DISTINGUISH
OURSELVES IN ADVANCING THE
SEARCH FOR POTENTIAL
BIOSIGNATURES ON THE PLANET
MARS.
MAYBE I WILL TOSS IT TO LORI OR
SOMEONE ELSE IN THE PANEL TO
ANSWER THE SECOND PART.
>> I'M HAPPY TO TAKE THE SECOND
PART OF THAT QUESTION.
THANKS.
AS YOU MENTIONED, THERE WILL BE
SEVERAL MISSIONS HEADED TO MARS,
SEVERAL THIS SUMMER AND EUROPEAN
SPACE AGENCY IN TWO YEARS AS
THEY POSTPONED THE LAUNCH.
THIS SUMMER CHINA IS GOING TO BE
SENDING THEIR FIRST LAND TORE
MARS.
WE ARE ALL GOING TO BE WATCHING
THAT CAREFULLY.
THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT
THING TO DO TO LAND SAFELY ON
MARS.
WE KNOW HOW CHALLENGING IT IS.
WE HAVE BEEN VERY LUCKY AND
LEARNED A LOT FROM THOSE.
WE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL THE LAST
SEVERAL TIMES.
I HAVE FULL CONFIDENCE IN OUR
TEAM.
IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO WATCH
AS CHINA ATTEMPTS THIS AS WELL.
THAT WILL BE AN INTERESTING
THING TO WATCH.
THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES ARE
SENDING THEIR ORBITER.
THIS WILL BE THEIR FIRST FORAY
INTO THIS INTERPLANETARY FLIGHT.
SO IT WILL BE COMPLEMENTARY TO
THE OTHER MISSIONS WE HAVE AS
MARS AS WELL TO COMPLEMENT THOSE
ACTIVITIES.
AND THE OTHER ROVER IS
COMPLEMENTARY TO WHAT
PERSEVERANCE WILL BE DOING ON
THE SURFACE.
ONE OF THE THINGS IT WILL BE
DOING THAT IS DIFFERENT THAN
WHAT WE ARE DOING WITH
PERSEVERANCE, IT HAS THE
CAPABILITY TO ACTUALLY DRILL A
COUPLE OF METERS BELOW THE
SURFACE TO PULL UP A SAMPLE.
THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE
SAMPLES AT THE SURFACE HAVE BEEN
EXPOSED TO RADIATION.
IF THERE WERE ACTUALLY LIFE
PRESENT ON MARS AT THE SURFACE,
IT MAY HAVE BEEN DESTROYED
THROUGH THAT RADIATION.
BUT SAMPLES BENEATH THE SURFACE
MAY HAVE A POTENTIAL TO CONTAIN
LIFE.
THERE ARE GOING TO BE
INTERESTING COMPLEMENTARIES
THERE.
>> UNFORTUNATELY, WE CAN'T
ANSWER ALL THE MEDIA QUESTIONS
ON AIR.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WITH ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS, CALL JPL'S DIGITAL
NEWS AND MEDIA OFFICE.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO ANSWER
QUESTIONS OF SOCIALEDIA
ON-LINE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTIONS AND
THANK YOU TO OUR PANELISTS FOR
JOINING US TODAY.
PERSEVERANCE IS TARGETED TO
LAUNCH FROM FLORIDA ON JULY 20.
IT WILL LAND ON MARS IN FEBRUARY
OF 2021.
YO CAN FOLLOW@NASAPERSEVERANCE.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION BY USING
#COUNTDOWNTOMARS.
YOU CAN VISIT NASA.GOV SSH
PERSEVERANCE.
WE HAVE A DEEPER DIVE WITH A
PRESS KIT.
IT'S FILLED WITH INFORMATION AND
GRAPHICS DESCRIBING THE ROVER
AND MISSION.
ALL THE IMAGES TODAY WILL REPLAY
AFTER THIS BRIEFING.
THANKS FOR WATCHING.
