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NASA aces most challenging Mars rover landing to date

Members of NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover team watch in mission control as the first images arrive moments after the spacecraft successfully touched down on Mars, Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. (Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls)

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After a nearly 300 million mile (480 million kilometer), seven-month-long journey, the world watched as NASA’s Mars 2020 Perseverance mission successfully completed the most challenging and precise landing the agency has ever attempted on Thursday (Feb. 18). Perseverance is NASA’s fifth rover and overall ninth mission to successfully land on the Red Planet.

The first image of the Martian surface capture by NASA’s Perseverance rover moments after a successful touchdown on Mars. (Credit: NASA/JPL – Caltech)

On Thursday afternoon, the alien invader punched through the relatively thin Martian atmosphere streaking across the sky at a blazing 12,100 mph (19,500 kph). Then it shed a few layers, deployed the largest-ever supersonic parachute, and slowed down just enough to use a rocket-propelled crane to drop an autonomous, nuclear-powered, robotic astrobiologist called Perseverance on the surface of Mars.

Flawlessly completing the entry, descent, and landing sequence of its mission to land in Mars’ hostile Jezero Crater, NASA’s Mars 2020 Perseverance mission officially marked the completion of its interplanetary travel phase and began its mission to collect evidence of ancient, microbial Martian life.

Getting to Mars

On July 30, 2020, NASA’s Mars 2020 Perseverance mission launched aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 541 rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Base. Aboard that rocket was NASA’s most ambitious Mars mission to date. The launch phase of the mission suffered a few minor delays ultimately shifting the launch date from July 18, 2020 to July 30, 2020. However, ULA’s Atlas V first stage rocket and Centaur upper stage delivered NASA’s Mars 2020 Perseverance mission into such an accurate trajectory that the 2,260 lb (1,025 kg) rover landed on its specified February 18 landing date despite the delays in the launch timeline.

In total, three missions to Mars – China’s Tianwen-1, the United Arab Emirates Hope Probe, and NASA’s Perseverance – left Earth in the summer of 2020. All three missions targeted to leave Earth prior to August to best take advantage of the minimal distance between the planets during what is called opposition. The opposition between Earth and Mars only occurs once every 22 months. If the Perseverance mission had missed its launch date it would’ve had to wait until 2022 for a chance to travel to the Red Planet.

An illustration of the route Mars 2020 takes to the Red Planet, including several trajectory correction maneuvers (TCMs) to adjust its flight path on the fly. (NASA/JPL-Caltech)

Entry, Descent, and Landing – a controlled disassembly

As Perseverance descended into the Martian atmosphere the Cruise Phase – hardware that propelled the spacecraft through space for seven months – was jettisoned. The Perseverance rover safely tucked inside the aeroshell and protected by a robust heat shield soared through the thin Martian atmosphere enduring an extreme amount of friction that produced heat energy that reached up to 2,370 degrees Fahrenheit (about 1,300 degrees Celsius).

This illustration depicts five major components of the Mars 2020 spacecraft. Top to bottom: cruise stage, backshell, descent stage, Perseverance rover and heat shield. The various components perform critical roles during the vehicle’s cruise to Mars and its dramatic Entry, Descent, and Landing. (Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

Once through the period of peak heating the heat shield was jettisoned exposing Perseverance to the Martian environment for the first time. Then about 7 miles (11 kilometers) from the surface the largest supersonic parachute NASA has ever sent to another planet – 70.5 feet (21.5 meters) in diameter – was deployed drastically slowing the spacecraft.

While still descending, the controlled descent module – called the sky crane – separated from the backshell about 1.3 miles (2.1 kilometers) above the surface to free-fly in the Martian atmosphere. The descent module used a new landing technology called Terrain-Relative Navigation used a constant stream of visual input and guidance collected from the Vision Compute Element and Rover Compute Element to determine the safest reachable landing site.

In this illustration, NASA’s Perseverance rover gets its first look at the Martian surface below, after dropping its heat shield just under six minutes after entry into the Mars atmosphere. (Credit: NASA?JPL-Caltech)

The throttleable rockets on the powered descent module steered the rover to its landing spot in Mars’ Jezero Crater and slowed to approximately 1.7 mph (2.7 kph) about 66 feet (20 meters) above the Martian surface. Perseverance was then lowered using a system of Nylon cords which were autonomously severed upon touchdown. The final stage of the controlled disassembly was for the sky crane to throttle its rockets back up and fly away for a crash landing a safe distance from the rover.

Ultimately, the Perseverance rover landed about a kilometer south of the intended delta of the Jezero Crater.

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An image released by NASA of the landing location of the Perseverance rover about a kilometer away from the delta of Mars’ Jezero Crater. (Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

Perseverance made it to Mars, now what?

The second image of the Martian surface capture by NASA’s Perseverance rover moments after a successful touchdown on Mars. (Credit: NASA/JPL- Caltech)

Getting to Mars was only the first of many milestones that Perseverance is expected to achieve during its projected one Mars year-long mission – about 687 Earth days. Now that the rover has touched down the science will begin.

First and foremost once Perseverance stretched its legs, so to speak, the first event took place just minutes after landing. Perseverance captured photos of the Martian surface with a pair of engineering cameras called Hazard Cameras mounted to the front and back of the rover.

The upgraded Navigation and Hazard cameras feature the capability to capture imagery of the Martian surface in 20 megapixel high-definition resolution for the first time. In the coming days, more images will be relayed back to Earth taken with the rover’s Navigation cameras and Mastcam-Z.

This image presents a selection of the 23 cameras on NASA’s 2020 Mars rover. (Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

Once on Mars, the control of the Perseverance rover was transitioned from NASA JPL’s EDL team to the Perseverance Surface team. The Surface Phase of the Mars 2020 mission – or the phase of the mission that consists of the four main science objectives – began about twenty minutes after the touchdown.

Perseverance was sent to Mars to determine whether life ever existed on Mars, characterize the climate, characterize the geology, and prepare for the eventual human exploration of Mars. To achieve these massive science goals, the robotic astrobiologist was sent with an impressive suite of scientific research tools. Over the next 30 Martian days – called sols – the rover will begin to unfurl and begin testing the various pieces of hardware in preparation for exploring the delta of Jezero Crater.

This diagram illustrated the many science research components that are included aboard the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover. (Credi: NASA/ JPL – Caltech)

Deploying the stowaway

Perseverance not only took a roving science lab to Mars, but it also took the first rotorcraft helicopter to be deployed to another planet dubbed Ingenuity. Ingenuity is a small double-bladed rotorcraft weighing only about 4 pounds (1.8 kilograms).

After the initial 30 Ssls of stretching its legs, Perseverance will travel a short distance to find a flat area of the Martian surface to deploy the Ingenuity helicopter. Once deployed, the Ingenuity team will have a technology demonstration window of approximately 30 sols to complete the first flight test of Ingenuity – the first time powered, controlled flight will be attempted on another planet.

Landing is just the beginning

Graphic detailing the sample return process. Credit: ESA

As exciting as landing on Mars was, it is only the beginning for the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover. The nuclear-powered astrobiology robot will spend the next Martian year excavating the surface of a very rich delta in the Jezero crater searching for the first evidence of ancient, microbial life.

Even more exciting is that Perseverance is only the first phase of a larger mission called the Mars Sample Return mission that will someday bring the excavated samples that Perseverance collects back to Earth in a joint effort between NASA and the European Space Agency.

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Although the Perseverance mission is only intended to last one Martian year, Perseverance has the capacity to extend its mission to nearly 15 years thanks to its power source, a Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) which produces a steady stream of electricity provided by the radioactive decay of plutonium-238. Perseverance could potentially outlast all of NASA’s other Mars missions.

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Tesla posts Optimus’ most impressive video demonstration yet

The humanoid robot was able to complete all the tasks through a single neural network.

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Credit: Tesla Optimus/X

When Elon Musk spoke with CNBC’s David Faber in an interview at Giga Texas, he reiterated the idea that Optimus will be one of Tesla’s biggest products. Seemingly to highlight the CEO’s point, the official Tesla Optimus account on social media platform X shared what could very well be the most impressive demonstration of the humanoid robot’s capabilities to date.

Optimus’ Newest Demonstration

In its recent video demonstration, the Tesla Optimus team featured the humanoid robot performing a variety of tasks. These include household chores such as throwing the trash, using a broom and a vacuum cleaner, tearing a paper towel, stirring a pot of food, opening a cabinet, and closing a curtain, among others. The video also featured Optimus picking up a Model X fore link and placing it on a dolly.

What was most notable in the Tesla Optimus team’s demonstration was the fact that the humanoid robot was able to complete all the tasks through a single neural network. The robot’s actions were also learned directly from Optimus being fed data from first-person videos of humans performing similar tasks. This system should pave the way for Optimus to learn and refine new skills quickly and reliably.

Tesla VP for Optimus Shares Insight

In a follow-up post on X, Tesla Vice President of Optimus (Tesla Bot) Milan Kovac stated that one of the team’s goals is to have Optimus learn straight from internet videos of humans performing tasks, including footage captured in third person or by random cameras.

“We recently had a significant breakthrough along that journey, and can now transfer a big chunk of the learning directly from human videos to the bots (1st person views for now). This allows us to bootstrap new tasks much faster compared to teleoperated bot data alone (heavier operationally).

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“Many new skills are emerging through this process, are called for via natural language (voice/text), and are run by a single neural network on the bot (multi-tasking). Next: expand to 3rd person video transfer (aka random internet), and push reliability via self-play (RL) in the real-, and/or synthetic- (sim / world models) world,” Kovac wrote in his post on X.

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Starship Flight 9 nears as SpaceX’s Starbase becomes a Texan City

SpaceX’s launch site is officially incorporated as Starbase, TX. Starship Flight 9 could launch on May 27, 2025. 

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(Credit: Jenny Hautmann/Wikimedia Commons)

SpaceX’s Starbase is officially incorporated as a city in Texas, aligning with preparations for Starship Flight 9. The newly formed city in Cameron County serves as the heart of SpaceX’s Starship program.

Starbase City spans 1.5 square miles, encompassing SpaceX’s launch facility and company-owned land. A near-unanimous vote by residents, who were mostly SpaceX employees, led to its incorporation. SpaceX’s Vice President of Test and Launch, Bobby Peden, was elected mayor of Starbase. The new Texas city also has two SpaceX employees as commissioners. All Starbase officials will serve two-year terms unless extended to four by voters.

As the new city takes shape, SpaceX is preparing for the Starship Flight 9 launch, which is tentatively scheduled for May 27, 2025, at 6:30 PM CDT from Starbase, Texas.

SpaceX secured Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval for up to 25 annual Starship and Super Heavy launches from the site. However, the FAA emphasized that “there are other licensing requirements still to be completed,” including policy, safety, and environmental reviews.

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On May 15, the FAA noted SpaceX updated its launch license for Flight 9, but added: “SpaceX may not launch until the FAA either closes the Starship Flight 8 mishap investigation or makes a return to flight determination. The FAA is reviewing the mishap report SpaceX submitted on May 14.”

Proposed Texas legislation could empower Starbase officials to close local highways and restrict Boca Chica Beach access during launches. Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino, Jr., opposes the Texas legislation, insisting beach access remain under county control. This tension highlights the balance between SpaceX’s ambitions and local interests.

Starbase’s incorporation strengthens SpaceX’s operational base as it gears up for Starship Flight 9, a critical step in its mission to revolutionize space travel. With growing infrastructure and regulatory hurdles in focus, Starbase is poised to become a cornerstone of SpaceX’s vision, blending community development with cutting-edge aerospace innovation.

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The Boring Company accelerates Vegas Loop expansion plans

The Boring Company clears fire safety delays, paving the way to accelerating its Vegas Loop expansion plans.

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Credit: The Boring Company/X

After overcoming fire safety hurdles, the Boring Company is accelerating its Vegas Loop expansion. The project’s progress signals a transformative boost for Sin City’s transportation and tourism.

Elon Musk’s tunneling company, along with The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) and Clark County, resolved fire safety concerns that delayed new stations.

“It’s new. It’s taken a little time to figure out what the standard should be,” said Steve Hill, LVCVA President and CEO, during last week’s board meeting. “We’ve gotten there. We’re excited about that. We’re ready to expand further, faster, than we have.”

Last month, the company submitted permits for tunnel extensions connecting Encore to a parcel of land owned by Wynn and Caesars Palace. The three tunnels are valued at $600,000 based on country records.

Plans for a Tropicana Loop are also advancing, linking UNLV to MGM Grand, T-Mobile Arena, Allegiant Stadium, Mandalay Bay, and the upcoming Athletics’ ballpark. Downtown extensions from the convention center to the Strat, Fremont Street Experience, and Circa’s Garage Mahal are also in the permitting process.

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“Those are all in process,” Hill noted. “We’ve got machines that are available to be put in the ground. I think we’ve reached a framework for how these projects are going to work and how they’ll be permitted from a safety standpoint, as well as a building standpoint.”

The Boring Company has six boring machines, with three currently active in Las Vegas. Last week, TBC announced that it successfully mined continuously in a Zero-People-in-Tunnel (ZPIT) configuration, enabling it to build more tunnels faster, safer, and at a more affordable rate.

Tunneling under Paradise Road is underway as The Boring Company works on the University Center Loop. The University Center Loop is expected to connect to the Las Vegas Convention Center within two months, linking to the Westgate tunnel. The full Vegas Loop will span 104 stations and 68 miles. Even though The Boring Company’s tunnel network in Las Vegas isn’t nearly finished, it has already become a key attraction in the city.

“It’s such a great attraction for shows that are looking at this building (convention center) and we’re going to be connected to everybody in town,” Hill said. “It’s a real difference-maker.”

A few Vegas Loop stations are already operational, including those connected to Resorts World, Westgate, Encore, and all the Las Vegas Convention Center Loop stations. The Downtown Loop, which connects to the downtown area, and the Riviera Station, the hub that leads to Resorts World with Westgate destinations, are also operational.

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As The Boring Company accelerates the Vegas Loop, its tunnels are poised to redefine mobility and tourism in Las Vegas, blending cutting-edge technology with practical urban solutions.

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