BELLINGHAM, Wash. — Tomorrow’s the big day for a mission to Mars that has included team members from WWU.
Perseverance Lander is expected to enter the Martian atmosphere at 12:48pm our time Thursday with touchdown expected at 12:55.
Dr. Melissa Rice with Western’s College of Science and Engineering said it will be a breakthrough mission because this is the first time any powered craft is going to fly in the atmosphere of another planet, calling it another “Wright Brothers moment.”
She says WWU students have played key roles play on the team, doing research and contributing to the decision NASA made to land in Jezero Crater.
Rice, a member of all three Mars rover science teams, will begin her daily work with the Perseverance rover when it lands.
NASA’s streaming coverage of the mission begins at 11:15 a.m. Pacific time Thursday.