Published 15:53 IST, July 30th 2020
Twitter 'transports' users off the blue planet to Mars, Perseverance rover responds
Twitter changed its Avatar to Mars replacing the bluebird with white and its profile banner was changed to NASA’s Perseverance launch set to go in a few hours.
As NASA’s ‘Perseverance’ rover is all set to launch for Mars 2020 mission on July 30 to seek the ancient microbial life on the red planet, Twitter decided to launch its users virtually into space clad in spacesuits as it asked on July 30, “Who wants to be transported off this planet?”. Twitter changed its Avatar to Mars replacing the bluebird with white and its profile banner was changed to NASA’s Perseverance launch. Twitter even launched an animation and asked the users to heart it in order to be transported out of the blue planet.
“Yes please, a planet where no one cares about what you look like, what designer brands you do or don't wear or have just blissful peace and good music!!!! and seaside with wine and crisps! too much to ask?” a Twitter user wrote. In response, Twitter transformed the user’s profile image in a spacesuit and shared a picture of the woman being launched on the Red planet. “Not sure about the seaside, but Mars checks most of those boxes,” Twitter replied. As the perseverance vehicle gets ready to launch from Florida to study the surface of Mars and bring rock samples to Earth labs, Twitter simultaneously launches the users into the space to catch up with the spacecraft.
"The launch readiness review is complete, and we are indeed going for launch," administrator Jim Bridenstine said at a news conference at the agency’s Kennedy Space Centre. The launch, as scheduled, took place at 7:50 am (1150 GMT) on July 30 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41 onboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 541 rocket, according to an official communication released by NASA on its website.
Perseverance will reach Mars February 18, 2021
In another release, NASA invited the public to watch the Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Launch and participate in virtual activities and events ahead of the mission. It urged the space lovers to catch the Live coverage and countdown commentary on NASA Television and the agency’s website, as well as YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitch, Daily Motion, and Theta.TV at 7 am. Loaded with at least seven different scientific instruments, Perseverance is expected to reach Mars on February 18, 2021, to carry out the astrobiology mission designed under NASA’s Mars Exploration Program.
Updated 15:52 IST, July 30th 2020