Last Updated on February 15, 2021 by Solar System Ambassador Pam Roller
Here’s an update from our local Solar System Ambassador Pam Roller, whose role is to inform, share, excite, and engage the community with the latest missions and events happening at NASA.
Listed below are many ways to become excited and engaged with the landing of the Mars Rover Perseverance on the red planet.
The following links, information, and resources are all courtesy of NASA.
Join NASA to participate online as the Perseverance Rover lands on Mars.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nasas-perseverance-rover-mars-landing-registration-137598182869
Countdown to Mars
https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/
This awesome link has a countdown to Mars, quick facts, amazing simulations, an opportunity to watch the trailer video, and a Mars Photo Booth.
Mars 2020 STEM Toolkit
https://www.nasa.gov/stem/nextgenstem/moon_to_mars/mars2020stemtoolkit
This link is filled with facts, information, links to video demonstrations, and numerous activities for students in grades K-8 to be engaged during this event.
NASA Live Events Schedule for February 16-18, 2021
Go to NASA TV Live Events
Feb. 16, Tuesday
12:15 p.m.—Countdown to Mars Perseverance Rover landing lives stream Q&A for high school students
1:00 p.m.– Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover mission overview (All Channels)
2:30 p.m. – Mars Student Challenge Program (All Channels)
3:30 p.m – Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover science overview (All Channels)
Feb. 17, Wednesday
12:30 p.m.—Countdown to Mars Perseverance Rover landing livestream Q&A for elementary school students
Feb. 18, Thursday
12:30 p.m.—Perseverance Mars Rover landing day live stream for all students
2:15 p.m.—NASA will provide multiple feeds of live landing coverage of the Perseverance Mars Rover, leading up to the rover’s landing at approximately 3:55 p.m. EST
2:30 p.m. on NASA en Español’s YouTube channel.
5:30 p.m. (no earlier than)—Perseverance Mars Rover post-landing coverage
Mars is Getting a New Robotic Meteorologist
Click the link to learn all about it.
The instrument behind the weather data is called MEDA – short for the Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer.
Sensors on NASA’s Perseverance will help prepare for future human exploration by taking weather measurements and studying dust particles. This will occur after Mars Rover Perseverance lands on the red planet February 18, 2021.
These sensors will provide key atmospheric data that will help enable future astronauts to the Red Planet to survive in a world with no breathable oxygen, freezing temperatures, planet wide dust storms, and intense radiation from the Sun.
All of the above information is being shared courtesy of NASA.