NASA Perseverance: Swati Mohan, Bengaluru-Born Scientist Helped Develop Landing Tech For Mars Probe
Bengaluru born scientist, Swati Mohan has played a key role in designing a new landing technology called Terrain Relative Navigation for NASA's Mars Perseverance mission.
NASA's Perseverance mission to Mars launched on Thursday at 5.21pm (IST). The rover will also leave an Indian footprint on the red planet that is set to touch down at the Jezero crater on February 18, 2021.
No, any Indian astronaut is not on board the spacecraft. However, Bengaluru-born scientist Swati Mohan of Nasa¡¯s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has played a crucial role in designing and developing a new landing technology called Terrain Relative Navigation, which will make the touchdown less hazardous.
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
The landing, referred to as ¡®Seven Minutes of Terror¡¯, will be a nerve-wracking moment for all those involved in the entry, descent and landing of Perseverance, including Swati. When Perseverance enters the Martian atmosphere at a high speed of 12,000 kmph, it will have to drop to 0 in the span of just seven minutes during which time many aspects have to work flawlessly in the rover in quick succession.
Also Read: NASA Creates History, Launches Perseverance Rover & Ingenuity Helicopter To Mars
NASA/Mumbai Mirror
NASA¡¯s Perseverance mission has four objectives:
- geological exploration of an ancient environment of Mars,
- understanding habitability and seeking evidence of past life,
- readying a returnable cache of samples, and
- preparing for human exploration.
In an email to TOI Swati talked about the new Terrain Relative Navigation system that will allow Perseverance to be the first rover to land with open eyes. ¡®This is analogous to putting your hands out in front and stopping when you feel the ground. Previous missions have relied on radar to land,¡¯ she said.
Also Read: How To Watch NASA Perseverance Launch Live Online
We¡¯re on our way to Mars ¨C me and the almost 11 million names I carry. One home behind us, and a new one ahead. #CountdownToMars
¡ª NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover (@NASAPersevere) July 30, 2020
Post-launch Update: https://t.co/ssXuLjQVez pic.twitter.com/fJmK48hTiL
Let us hope that when the time of landing draws near the work Swati has done on it, proves to be helpful.
Also Read: NASA Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Designed By IIT Alumni Is Going To Make History
