'New postcard from Mars': NASA releases landing site panorama taken by Perseverance rover

The US space agency NASA on February 24 released the first panoramic view of the landing site of the Perseverance rover on Mars. While taking to Twitter, NASA shared the spectacular image and informed that the picture shows the rim of the Jezero Crater where the rover touched down last week and the cliff face of an ancient river delta in the distance. According to a press release, the image was taken by rotating the rover’s mast 360 degrees, which is equipped with dual, zoomable cameras that can take high-definition video and images. 

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The NASA scientists said that with the rover’s Mastcam-Z, the robotic astrobiologists can provide a detailed examination of both close and distant objects. The cameras will also help scientists to assess the geologic history and atmospheric conditions of Jezero Crater and will assist in identifying rocks and sediment worthy of a closer look by the rover’s other instruments. Additionally, the cameras system can even reveal details as small as 0.1 to 0.2 inches across near the rover and 6.5 to 10 feet across in the distant slopes along the horizon. 

Jim Bell, who is the instrument’s principal investigator, said, “We’re nestled right in a sweet spot, where you can see different features similar in many ways to features found by Spirit, Opportunity, and Curiosity at their landing sites”. 

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Video, audio of rover’s landing 

Meanwhile, earlier this week, the US space agency released the first audio from Mars. A Martian breeze is audible for 10 seconds into the 60-second recording. NASA also shared the video of the landing of the rover, which is on a mission to search for signs of past life on the Red planet. 

NASA’s perseverance on February 18 made a historic touchdown on Mars’ surface at 3:55 p.m. EST (12:55 p.m. PST). The explorer landed safely following ‘7 minutes of terror’ as dubbed by NASA. The Perseverance rover, the largest and most advanced robot sent by any country to another planet, reached Mars after travelling through deep space for more than 200 days. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California announced the confirmation of the successful touchdown. The probe was launched on July 30 during the crucial small window that opened for launch to Mars last year. 

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