[ MUSIC ]
>> WE ARE A SPECIES
OF EXPLORERS...
BELIEVERS.
>> WE CHOSE TO GO TO
THE MOON IN THIS DECADE
AND DO THE OTHER THINGS.
NOT BECAUSE THEY ARE EASY,
BUT BECAUSE THEY ARE HARD.
>> WE ARE WILLING TO DO
THE HARD THINGS,
TO OVERCOME THE MANY CHALLENGES.
THIS IS WHAT BRINGS OUT
THE BEST IN US.
>> WE ARE GO FOR
A MISSION TO THE MOON.
>> OUR PATH HAS LED TO SUCCESS
AND TO BITTER LOSSES.
>> WE COME TOGETHER TODAY
TO MOURN THE LOSS OF
SEVEN BRAVE AMERICANS.
>> YET, EVEN WHEN FACED
WITH TRAGEDY AND SETBACKS,
WE PERSEVERE.
WE KEEP STRIVING.
WE KEEP BELIEVING.
FROM SPACE,
WE SEE OUR PLANET AS A WHOLE.
WE SEE THE CHALLENGES
FACING IT, AND WE FACE
THOSE CHALLENGES TOGETHER.
WE WILL NOT GIVE UP.
WE CHALLENGE CONVENTION.
WE REFUSE TO ACCEPT
THE STATUS QUO.
THE TIME AT HAND IS HARD,
BUT WE WILL PERSEVERE.
WE CAN STILL DRAW HOPE FROM
THE MOON AND THE STARS,
FROM SPACE,
FROM EXPLORATION.
THERE IS A NEW DAY BEYOND
THE CHALLENGES WE FACE NOW.
>> CURIOSITY, INSIGHT,
SPIRIT, OPPORTUNITY.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT,
ALL OF THESE NAMES OF PAST
MARS ROVERS ARE QUALITIES
WE POSSESS AS HUMANS.
>> TEN, NINE-- WE HAVE
IGNITION SEQUENCE DIALED.
>> BUT IF ROVERS START
TO BE THE QUALITIES
OF US AS A RACE...
>> HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM.
>> WE MISS THE MOST
IMPORTANT THING.
>> THREE, TWO...
>> PERSEVERANCE.
>> LAUNCH COMMENCED.
LIFTOFF!
WE HAVE LIFTOFF.
>> WE ARE A SPECIES
OF EXPLORERS.
WE WILL MEET MANY OBSTACLES
ON OUR WAY TO MARS.
BUT AS HUMANS,
WE'LL NOT GIVE UP.
WE WILL ALWAYS PERSEVERE.
>> HELLO AND WELCOME TO
ANOTHER VIRTUAL EPISODE
OF NASA SCIENCE LIVE.
I'M RAQUEL VILLANUEVA
WITH NASA'S JET PROPULSION
LABORATORY AND TODAY WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT A NEW CHAPTER
OF MARS EXPLORATION.
OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES,
FOUR ROVERS, SOJOURNER,
SPIRIT, OPPORTUNITY,
AND CURIOSITY HAVE TRAVERSED
THE MARTIAN LANDSCAPE
REVEALING THE SECRETS OF
THE RED PLANET'S ANCIENT PAST.
THE CURIOSITY ROVER DISCOVERED
THAT ITS LANDING SITE,
GALE CRATER, HOSTED A LAKE
BILLIONS OF YEARS AGO
IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT
COULD'VE SUPPORTED
MICROBIAL LIFE.
NOW PERSEVERANCE,
NASA'S NEXT MARS ROVER,
AIMS TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP
BY SEEKING TO ANSWER
ONE OF THE KEY QUESTIONS
OF ASTROBIOLOGY:
ARE THERE POTENTIAL SIGNS
OF PAST MICROBIAL LIFE
OR BIOSIGNATURES ON MARS?
SO YOU MAY BE WONDERING HOW
WE WILL LOOK FOR ANCIENT LIFE,
WHERE WE ARE LANDING,
AND WHEN WILL THIS MISSION
TAKE PLACE?
STAY TUNED, BECAUSE
THE ANSWERS ARE COMING UP.
BUT FIRST, LET'S
GET TO KNOW PERSEVERANCE.
>> NASA'S NEXT MARS ROVER,
PERSEVERANCE,
HAS AN AMBITIOUS MISSION.
WE KNOW FROM DECADES OF MARS
MISSIONS THAT THE RED PLANET
NOT ONLY HAD WATER IN ITS
ANCIENT PAST BUT THAT WATER
COULD HAVE SUPPORTED LIFE.
>> MARS IS OUR NEIGHBORING
PLANET, AND IN MANY WAYS,
THE MOST SIMILAR TO US
CONCERNING ITS HISTORY.
AND THE QUESTION WHETHER
ANCIENT LIFE WAS THERE
IS STILL THE QUESTION
THAT KEEPS US UP AT NIGHT.
>> IN SEARCH OF AN ANSWER,
NASA IS SENDING A ROVER
THE SIZE OF AN SUV TO
AN ANCIENT LAKEBED ON MARS
CALLED JEZERO CRATER.
EQUIPPED WITH DURABLE,
CUSTOM BUILT WHEELS,
TWO ROBOTIC ARMS,
AND A WHOLE SUITE OF
SCIENCE INSTRUMENTS
BOTH INSIDE AND OUT,
PERSEVERANCE WILL ROVE ACROSS
THE SURFACE OF MARS IN SEARCH
OF EVIDENCE THAT ANCIENT LIFE
MIGHT'VE EXISTED IN THE PAST.
>> SO THE MARS 2020 ROVER
WILL BE SEEKING SIGNS OF
ANCIENT LIFE IN THE--
IN THE ANCIENT ROCKS OF MARS
TO LOOK FOR THINGS THAT
WE CALL BIOSIGNATURES,
WHICH ARE SIGNS THAT ANCIENT
LIFE MIGHT'VE BEEN THERE
IN THE PAST.
>> BUT THAT'S NOT ALL
THIS DETERMINED ROVER
WILL ACCOMPLISH.
>> MARS 2020 IS REALLY
THE ESSENTIAL FIRST PART OF
A SAMPLE RETURN MISSION,
WHICH IS TO BRING SAMPLES BACK
TO THE BEST LABS WE HAVE,
WHICH ARE HERE ON EARTH.
>> PERSEVERANCE WILL DRILL
INTO MARTIAN ROCKS,
COLLECT SAMPLES,
AND PREPARE THEM FOR A FUTURE
MISSION TO PICK THEM UP
AND BRING THEM BACK TO EARTH.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S
NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE.
>> SO MARS 2020 IS THE FIRST
HALF OF OUR RETURN TRIP.
>> TO GET TO THE MOST
INTERESTING ROCKS ON MARS,
PERSEVERANCE HAS TO LAND
SAFELY AMONG CREVICES,
CRATERS, AND CANYONS.
NASA ENGINEERS DESIGNED
A NEW TERRAIN RELATIVE
NAVIGATION SYSTEM,
ALLOWING THE ROVER TO
AUTONOMOUSLY DIVERT FROM
KNOWN RISKS IN THE AREA
WHILE TARGETING A SMALLER
LANDING ZONE THAN EVER BEFORE.
>> IT MEANS THAT WE CAN BOTH
GO TO PLACES THAT ARE MAYBE
MORE INTERESTING TO
THE SCIENTISTS BECAUSE
WE'RE ABLE TO HANDLE PLACES
WITH MORE HAZARDS AS WELL AS
LAND CLOSER TO THE THINGS
THAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN
OFF THE BAT.
SO WE GET TO THE SCIENCE
THAT THEY CARE ABOUT,
AND MORE QUICKLY.
>> SO WE CAN GET TO THE MOST
EXCITING PLACES, WHICH ARE
OFTEN THE MOST CHALLENGING.
>> BUILDING ON THE DISCOVERIES
OF ORBITERS, LANDERS,
AND ROVERS BEFORE IT,
PERSEVERANCE IS PIVOTAL IN OUR
SEARCH FOR LIFE BEYOND EARTH.
>> I COULD FINALLY ANSWER
THE AGE-OLD QUESTION,
ARE WE ALONE?
>> TODAY, WE ARE JOINED BY
PERSEVERANCE PROJECT SCIENTIST,
KEN FARLEY.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US
TODAY, KEN.
>> YOU'RE WELCOME.
>> PERSEVERANCE WILL BE
SEARCHING FOR SIGNS OF
ANCIENT LIFE ON MARS.
WHY IS MARS AN INTERESTING
PLACE TO SEARCH FOR SIGNS
OF LIFE BEYOND EARTH?
>> RAQUEL, THE BEST PLACE
TO LOOK FOR LIFE IS
A PLACE WHERE YOU THINK
LIFE COULD'VE EXISTED.
AND MARS IS SPECIAL
IN THIS REGARD.
THE CURRENT SURFACE OF MARS
IS TOO COLD AND TOO DRY
FOR ANY LIFE THAT
WE KNOW ABOUT TO EXIST.
BUT BILLIONS OF YEARS AGO,
IT WAS VERY DIFFERENT.
IT WAS MUCH WARMER AND THERE
WAS WATER ON THE SURFACE.
THERE WERE LAKES
AND THERE WERE RIVERS.
AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
THINGS THAT THE ROVER MISSIONS
THAT'VE GONE TO MARS OVER
THE LAST FEW YEARS HAVE SHOWN US
IS THAT THE ROCKS THAT WERE
DEPOSITED AT THAT TIME PERIOD,
THEY RECORD
HABITABLE ENVIRONMENTS.
SO THE REASON TO GO TO MARS
IS TO LOOK AT THOSE ROCKS,
WHICH RECORD
HABITABLE ENVIRONMENTS,
AND SEE IF LIFE WAS IN THEM.
SO TO BE CLEAR,
WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR EXTANT
LIFE, LIFE PRESENT TODAY.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR LIFE
RECORDED IN THESE ROCKS
THAT WERE DEPOSITED
BILLIONS OF YEARS AGO.
>> WHAT DO WE THINK
THIS ANCIENT LIFE
MIGHT'VE LOOKED LIKE?
>> WE HAVE ONLY ONE MODEL
FOR WHAT LIFE HAS LOOKED LIKE
OVER TIME, AND THAT'S THE EARTH.
SO WE USE THAT AS A REFERENCE
TO UNDERSTAND WHAT
WE MIGHT FIND ON MARS.
AND IF WE LOOK AT THE EARTH'S
ROCK RECORD FROM
BILLIONS OF YEARS AGO,
WHAT WE SEE THAT LIFE
AT THAT TIME, UH, IS--
WAS VERY PRIMITIVE.
IT WAS MOSTLY MICROBIAL.
SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE ARE
NOT LOOKING FOR FOSSILS
OF ADVANCED LIFE FORMS,
WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR
DINOSAUR BONES OR FISH FOSSILS
OR LEAF FOSSILS.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR
THE KINDS OF DEPOSITS THAT
MICROBES WOULD LEAVE BEHIND.
>> NOW KEN,
I UNDERSTAND THAT MEMBERS OF
THE PERSEVERANCE TEAM TRAVELED
TO AUSTRALIA AS PART OF
THE MISSION.
COULD YOU TELL US
WHAT THEY DID THERE
AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT?
>> I WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO
JOIN THIS-- JOIN NASA EUROPEAN
SPACE AGENCY TRIP TO LOOK AT
THE OLDEST UNDISPUTED
EVIDENCE OF LIFE ON EARTH.
IT OCCURS IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA
IN A VERY REMOTE PLACE.
AND WE WENT OUT TO LOOK AT THOSE
ROCKS SO THAT WE WOULD KNOW
WHAT MICROBIAL BIOSIGNATURES
ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE.
AND THE ROCKS THAT WE SAW THERE
ARE CALLED STROMATOLITES.
SO A STROMATOLITE IS
PRODUCED BY MICROBES.
MICROBES FORM A FILM,
A LAYER, UH,
AT THE BOTTOM OF
A BODY OF WATER,
LIKE A LAKE OR A SHALLOW SEA.
AND THAT MICROBIAL FILM
GROWS ON THE BOUNDARY BETWEEN
THE MUD AND THE WATER.
THE FILM GROWS,
IT GETS BURIED.
ANOTHER FILM GROWS,
IT GETS BURIED.
SO YOU GET THIS LAYERED
STRUCTURE THAT IS A VERY
DISTINCTIVE PATTERN AND VERY
DIFFERENT THAN THE KIND OF
PATTERN THAT YOU GET IN
ROCKS THAT ARE DEPOSITED
IN THE ABSENCE OF LIFE.
SO WE WENT AND LOOKED AT THESE
ROCKS AND I HAVE TO SAY,
I-I'M NOT AN ASTROBIOLOGIST,
BUT I FOUND THEM
VERY COMPELLING.
THEY'RE THE KINDS OF THINGS
YOU CAN SEE WITH YOUR EYES
THAT SUGGEST THAT
LIFE WAS PRESENT.
AND OF COURSE,
THIS WOULD BE A VERY EXCITING
THING FOR US TO FIND ON MARS.
>> AND CAN YOU TELL US
WHAT INSTRUMENTS WILL
ENABLE PERSEVERANCE TO SEARCH
FOR SIGNS OF ANCIENT LIFE?
HOW DO ITS INSTRUMENTS
DIFFER FROM CURIOSITY?
>> THE PERSEVERANCE ROVER
LOOKS A LOT LIKE
THE CURIOSITY ROVER
EXCEPT FOR IT HAS
NEW SCIENCE INSTRUMENTS.
THESE SCIENCE INSTRUMENTS
WERE SELECTED TO ALLOW US
TO LOOK FOR BIOSIGNATURES.
WE WILL HAVE HIGH RESOLUTION
CAMERAS THAT WILL ALLOW US TO
SURVEY THE LANDSCAPE LOOKING FOR
ROCKS THAT MIGHT'VE RECORDED
HABITABLE ENVIRONMENTS.
AND ONCE WE DRIVE UP TO THEM,
WE WILL DEPLOY INSTRUMENTS
THAT ARE ON THE ROBOTIC ARM.
WE HAVE TWO VERY INTERESTING
NEW CAPABILITIES THAT ALLOW US
TO INVESTIGATE A POSTAGE STAMP
SIZE AREA FOR THE ELEMENTAL
COMPOSITION AND THE ORGANIC
MOLECULE COMPOSITION.
SO WE ESSENTIALLY MAKE A MAP
AND THEN WE TAKE
A MICROSCOPIC IMAGE AS WELL.
AND THESE THREE KINDS OF
OBSERVATIONS, THE TEXTURE,
THE ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION,
AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF
ORGANIC MOLECULES ARE A VERY
COMPELLING WAY TO LOOK FOR
MICROBIAL BIOSIGNATURES.
>> AND HOW WILL PERSEVERANCE
EXPLORE THE AREA?
>> WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE THAT
WE HAVE A LOT OF DETAILED
INFORMATION ON THE LANDING SITE.
AND ONE OF THE KEY TARGETS
THAT WE CAN SEE FROM THE ORBITAL
IMAGES THAT EXIST IS A DELTA.
SO A DELTA IS A PLACE WHERE
A RIVER FLOWED INTO A LAKE
AND THE SUSPENDED SEDIMENT
IN THE RIVER WAS DEPOSITED.
THIS IS A VERY INTERESTING
PLACE FOR US TO EXPLORE
BECAUSE IT'S THE KIND OF PLACE
WHERE ORGANISMS ON EARTH
EXIST TODAY.
AND ALSO,
IT'S THE KIND OF PLACE WHERE,
BECAUSE THEY GET BURIED,
THOSE BIOSIGNATURES ARE
PRESERVED IN THE ROCK RECORD
FOR US TO COME AND SEE
BILLIONS OF YEARS LATER.
SO ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS
THAT WE'LL DO AFTER WE LAND IS
WE WILL DRIVE UP AND WE WILL
EXPLORE THAT DELTA.
>> AND WHAT WOULD FINDING
SIGNS OF ANCIENT LIFE MEAN
FOR HUMANS ON EARTH?
>> WELL OF COURSE,
THAT IS A, UH--
A CLASSIC QUESTION THAT
WE ALL ASK OURSELVES.
ARE-ARE WE ALONE?
AND I THINK WHAT MARS 2020
IS DOING IN LOOKING FOR LIFE,
IF WE HAPPEN TO FIND LIFE,
IT IS A VERY NON-THREATENING
FORM OF LIFE.
IT IS PRESUMABLY GOING TO BE
MICROBIAL AND IT IS
GOING TO BE ANCIENT.
WE'RE NOT LIKELY TO FIND
ADVANCED ALIEN LIFE.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN
IT ISN'T IMPORTANT.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT IN
THE SENSE THAT,
IF WE HAPPEN TO
FIND LIFE THERE,
IT WILL MEAN THAT OF THE TWO
ENVIRONMENTS THAT WE KNOW OF
ANYWHERE IN THE GALAXY,
THE TWO PLACES THAT WE KNOW
HAVE HABITABLE ENVIRONMENTS,
EARTH AND MARS,
BOTH HAVE LIFE.
AND THAT WOULD TEND TO SUGGEST
THAT LIFE IS UBIQUITOUS.
THAT WHEN YOU BUILD
AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE LIFE
CAN THRIVE, LIFE APPEARS.
AND THEN IF YOU PUT THAT
RESULT IN THE CONTEXT OF
THE FACT THAT THERE ARE
LITERALLY BILLIONS OF
PLANETS BEYOND EARTH,
IT STARTS TO FEEL LIKELY THAT
NOT ONLY ARE THERE HABITABLE
PLANETS OUT THERE,
BUT THOSE PLANETS
MAY WELL BE INHABITED,
THEY MAY BE INHABITED TODAY,
AND THERE MAY ACTUALLY BE
INTELLIGENT LIFE THERE.
SO THAT'S ALL SPECULATION,
BUT IT'S SPECULATION THAT
WOULD BE INFORMED BY
THE DISCOVERY OF LIFE
ON THE ONLY HABITABLE
PLACE BEYOND EARTH
THAT WE KNOW ABOUT,
AND THAT'S MARS.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
JOINING US TODAY, KEN.
>> YOU'RE WELCOME.
>> THE SEARCH FOR ANCIENT LIFE
ON MARS CAN BE A DAUNTING TASK.
WHERE DO YOU EVEN
BEGIN TO LOOK?
HERE AT NASA,
WE DEDICATED FIVE YEARS
TO SEARCHING FOR
THE PERFECT LANDING SITE.
AFTER MUCH CONSIDERATION,
NASA CHOSE JEZERO CRATER,
A 28-MILE WIDE CRATER ONCE HOME
TO AN ANCIENT RIVER DELTA.
TODAY WE'RE JOINED
BY BRIONY HORGAN,
A SCIENCE TEAM MEMBER WORKING
ON THE ROVER'S MASTCAM-Z
INSTRUMENT TO TELL US MORE
ABOUT THIS INTRIGUING SITE
WHERE WATER ONCE FLOWED ON MARS.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US
TODAY, BRIONY.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>> NOW, WHY JEZERO CRATER?
WHY IS THIS AN IDEAL LANDING
SITE FOR THIS MISSION?
>> SO JEZERO CRATER IS GOING
TO BE A FANTASTIC PLACE FOR
MARS 2020 BECAUSE IT'S
A GREAT PLACE TO LOOK FOR
SIGNS OF ANCIENT LIFE.
WE SEE REALLY CLEAR EVIDENCE
FROM OUR SATELLITES IN ORBIT
THAT JEZERO CRATER ONCE
HOSTED AN ANCIENT LAKE.
THE BIGGEST PIECE OF EVIDENCE
COMES FROM, YOU KNOW,
WE JUST-- WHEN WE LOOK AT
OUR IMAGES OF THE CRATER,
WE SEE THIS BIG RIVER CHANNEL
FLOWING INTO THE CRATER,
AND THEN RIGHT WHERE IT HITS
THE RIM OF THE CRATER,
WE SEE A RIVER DELTA BEING
DEPOSITED INSIDE OF JEZERO.
AND SO, THAT-- THOSE, UH,
DELTAS FORM WHEN YOU HAVE
RIVERS FLOWING INTO LAKES
AND DEPOSITING OUT ALL OF
THE MUD AND OTHER SEDIMENTS
THEY'RE CARRYING, AND THEY
TAKE A LONG TIME TO FORM.
SO WHEN WE SEE
THE DELTA IN JEZERO,
IT TELL US THAT THE LAKE
PERSISTED FOR SOME
LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
AND IT'S NOT EVEN JUST THAT,
WE ACTUALLY SEE A RIVER
CHANNEL LEADING OUT THE OTHER
SIDE OF THE CRATER TOO,
SO THAT TELLS US THAT
THE RIVER FLOWED IN,
FORMED THIS DELTA,
AND THEN ACTUALLY FILLED
THE CRATER UP AND OVERFLOWED
OUT THE OTHER SIDE.
SO THAT TELLS US THAT WE HAD
A NICE LONG-LIVED, HABITABLE
LAKE ENVIRONMENT WHERE
LIFE COULD'VE THRIVED.
AND THE DELTA ITSELF IS
A GREAT PLACE TO GO LOOK FOR
SIGNS OF THAT ANCIENT LIFE
BECAUSE WE THINK THE BOTTOM OF
THE DELTA PRESERVES
THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE.
SO ALL THE MUDS AND THINGS
THAT ACCUMULATED ALL THE STUFF
THAT FELL OUT OF THE LAKE.
UH, THINGS LIKE
ORGANIC MATERIALS THAT
COULD'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW,
INCORPORATED INTO
THE LIFE THERE,
OTHER SIGNS OF ANCIENT LIFE,
OTHER, UM, YOU KNOW,
FOSSILIZED BITS OF LIFE,
THINGS LIKE THAT COULD BE
PRESERVED IN THE BOTTOM
OF THE DELTA.
BUT IT'S NOT JUST THE DELTA
AND SORT OF THOSE FEATURES
THAT WE SEE IN THE IMAGES
THAT ARE REALLY INTERESTING,
WE ALSO SEE EVIDENCE FOR
INTERESTING MINERALS THAT
MIGHT'VE FORMED IN THIS LAKE.
IN PARTICULAR,
WE SEE A RING OF CARBONATE
MINERALS RIGHT AROUND
THE INSIDE MARGIN OF THE CRATER,
AND CARBONATES ARE REALLY
INTERESTING BECAUSE ON EARTH,
THEY FORM IN LAKES
AND OCEANS WHEN YOU HAVE
A LITTLE BIT OF EVAPORATION
AND THEY PRECIPITATE OUT
NEAR THE SHORELINES.
AND WE SEE THIS RING
OF CARBONATE IN JEZERO
RIGHT WHERE WE EXPECT ANCIENT
SHORELINES TO HAVE BEEN.
SO WE THINK IT MIGHT BE
TELLING US SOMETHING
ABOUT THE LAKE.
THIS IS ALSO GREAT FOR LOOKING
FOR SIGNS OF ANCIENT LIFE,
THOUGH, BECAUSE CARBONATES,
WHERE THEY FORM ON EARTH,
THEY CAN ACTUALLY PRECIPITATE
OUT AND TRAP ANYTHING
THAT'S LIVING RIGHT
ALONG THEIR SHORELINES.
WE SEE THIS REALLY COMMONLY
WITH THINGS LIKE MICROBIAL MATS
THAT GROW ALONG THE SHORELINES
OF LAKES ON EARTH.
UH, AND THEN THE CARBONATE
PRECIPITATES OUT AND CAN
ACTUALLY FOSSILIZE THEM
IN THAT WAY AND KIND OF
PRESERVE THEM IN A ROCK RECORD.
SO MARS 2020 IS GOING TO
EXPLORE BOTH THE DELTA
AND THE SHORELINES OF
ANCIENT LAKE JEZERO TO
LOOK FOR SIGNS OF LIFE.
>> YOU KIND OF TOUCHED ON THIS,
BUT WHAT DID JEZERO CRATER
ONCE LOOK LIKE?
>> SO, IT WOULD'VE BEEN
A PRETTY BIG LAKE.
I MEAN, SO, IT'S ABOUT H--
IT WOULD'VE BEEN ABOUT HALF
THE SIZE OF LAKE ONTARIO
AND ALMOST AS DEEP,
A COUPLE HUNDRED METERS DEEP,
AND, UH, WE ALSO THINK
IT WAS A PRETTY OLD LAKE,
SO WE THINK IT MIGHT'VE
FORMED ON MARS ABOUT, UH,
AS OLD AS 3.8 BILLION YEARS AGO.
AND THAT TIMING'S
REALLY IMPORTANT,
'CAUSE THAT'S RIGHT WHEN WE
THINK LIFE WAS REALLY GETTING
STARTED HERE ON EARTH,
SO THAT MEANS WE HAVE
A HABITABLE ENVIRONMENT
ON MARS THAT WAS THERE
FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME,
THAT WAS THERE WHEN LIFE
WAS HOPEFULLY, UH,
SPREADING ACROSS THE PLANET.
SO WE HOPE IT'LL PRESERVE
SIGNS OF THAT LIFE.
>> AND SPEAKING OF LIFE,
I UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE ALSO
COLLECTING SAMPLES AT
JEZERO CRATER FOR FUTURE
MISSIONS TO RETURN TO EARTH.
AND WHY ARE WE DOING THAT
AND WHAT DO WE HOPE TO FIND?
>> YEAH, WELL,
THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
SO, YOU KNOW, WITH MARS 2020,
WE'RE HOPING TO SEE SIGNS
OF ANCIENT LIFE WITH
THE ROVER ITSELF.
WHEN WE'RE DOING
THE BEST WE CAN.
WE HAVE GREAT INSTRUMENTS
THAT CAN HELP US
IDENTIFY ORGANIC MATERIALS
ASSOCIATED WITH THE LIFE,
HELP LOOK FOR TEXTURES DUE TO
THINGS LIKE MICROBIAL MATS
GROWING ON THE SHORES
OF THIS ANCIENT LAKE.
BUT ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW,
IT'S A REALLY HARD THING TO DO,
TO LOOK FOR SIGNS OF
ANCIENT MICROBIAL LIFE.
IT'S JUST REALLY SMALL.
AND SO EVEN ON EARTH,
WHEN WE LOOK FOR SIGNS OF
ANCIENT MICROBIAL LIFE
IN THE EARTH'S ROCK RECORD,
WE REALLY HAVE TO USE THINGS
LIKE ELECTRON MICROSCOPES,
YOU KNOW, REALLY HEAVY-DUTY,
HIGHER-RESOLUTION LABORATORY
INSTRUMENTS THAT WE JUST,
UH, CAN'T-- AT LEAST YET--
CAN'T SEND TO MARS
ON THE BACK OF A ROVER.
SO TO REALLY BE SURE THAT WE'RE
SEEING SIGNS OF ANCIENT LIFE
ON MARS IN THE ROCKS THERE,
WE HAVE TO BRING SAMPLES
BACK EARTH TO CHECK.
WE'RE ALSO HOPING WE'LL GET ALL
KINDS OF GREAT OTHER SAMPLES
TELLING US ABOUT THE HISTORY
OF MARS, UH, YOU KNOW,
FOR EXAMPLE, SOME OF THE SAMPLES
MIGHT HELP US DATE WHEN
A LOT OF THESE THINGS HAPPEN,
SO WHEN WAS THE LAKE THERE?
THAT'S ALSO A REALLY
HARD QUESTION TO ANSWER
WITH THE ROVER, BUT WE CAN
DO THAT WHEN WE BRING
THE SAMPLES BACK TO EARTH.
>> WOW, AND THANK YOU FOR
ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS.
NOW LET'S TAKE A QUESTION
FROM THE SOCIAL MEDIA
HASHTAG #askNASA.
SOMOIT ON FACEBOOK ASKS,
"A TEAM OF RESEARCHERS
FROM THE EUROPEAN
SPACE AGENCY RECENTLY
PUBLISHED SOME INTERESTING
FINDINGS ABOUT MUD ON
THE SURFACE OF MARS THAT
FLOWS LIKE LAVA ON EARTH.
NOW, WILL YOU BE
LOOKING INTO THIS TOO?"
>> FOR SURE, THAT'S
DEFINITELY AN INTERESTING IDEA.
I MEAN, SO ACTUALLY,
THE THING-- THE-THE DEPOSIT
WE THINK WE'RE GOING TO LAND
ON A JEZERO CRATER ISN'T
NECESSARILY THE LAKE
SEDIMENTS THEMSELVES.
IT ACTUALLY MIGHT BE
THIS KIND OF DARK, UH, UNIT
THAT'S RIGHT AT THE SURFACE.
IT KINDA LOOKS LIKE
A LAVA FLOW.
IT HAS THESE EDGES THAT LOOK
LIKE THEY FLOWED AROUND
HIGH POINTS IN THE CRATER,
AND IT'S REALLY DARK.
UM, BUT IT ALSO COULD BE
SOMETHING LIKE A MUD FLOW,
WHEN WE'RE THINKING
ABOUT IDEAS LIKE THAT.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT--
WE'RE NOT TOTALLY SURE
JUST BASED ON WE SEE
FROM ORBIT WHAT IT IS.
WE'LL BE THINKING ABOUT
MUD FLOWS,
WE'LL BE THINKING ABOUT,
YOU KNOW, COULD IT BE
LATER LAKE SEDIMENTS THAT
CAME IN AND WERE LAID DOWN?
SO HOPEFULLY IT'S ONE OF
THE FIRST THINGS WE'LL
FIGURE OUT WHEN WE GET
INTO JEZERO CRATER.
>> THANK YOU.
THANKS FOR ANSWERING
MY QUESTIONS, BRIONY.
NOW PERSEVERANCE IS PLANNING
TO GO TO JEZERO CRATER
ON MARS TO COLLECT SAMPLES
SO THAT ONE DAY WE CAN
SEND THOSE SAMPLES BACK
TO EARTH TO DETERMINE IF
THERE WAS EVER LIFE ON MARS.
BUT HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT
THE LIFE WE FIND ON MARS ISN'T
SOMETHING WE'VE BROUGHT BACK
FROM US FROM EARTH?
PLANETARY PROTECTION OFFICERS
AT NASA ACTIVELY TEST
ALL SPACECRAFT FOR
MICROBIAL STOWAWAYS
BEFORE THEY LEAVE OUR PLANET.
LET'S FOLLOW MOOGEGA STRICKER
AS SHE TAKES US BEHIND
THE SCENES AT NASA'S
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER
TO SEE HOW IT'S DONE.
>> HI, MY NAME IS
MOOGEGA STRICKER,
AND I'M THE PLANETARY
PROTECTION LEAD FOR
THE MARS 2020 MISSION OUT AT
THE JET PROPULSION LABORATORY.
I'M ACTUALLY TALKING TO YOU
FROM THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER
IN CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA,
BECAUSE WE TOOK OUR LAB,
WE PICKED IT UP,
WE MOVED IT ACROSS COUNTRY,
SO THAT WE CAN FOLLOW
THE SPACECRAFT WHILE IT GOES
THROUGH ITS FINAL
ASSEMBLY AND TESTING,
ALL THE WAY THROUGH LAUNCH.
WE TAKE SEVERAL SAMPLES
OF THE SPACECRAFT
AND WE PROCESS IT
IN THIS VERY LAB.
WE TAKE EITHER SWABS
OR WIPES OF THE SURFACE,
AND ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS
THAT WE DO IS WE SONICATE IT.
SONICATION IS HITTING IT WITH
SOUNDWAVES SO THAT IT CAN
GENTLY RELEASE THE MICROBES
FROM THE SURFACE OF THE SAMPLING
TOOL WITHOUT DAMAGING IT,
'CAUSE WE WANNA GROW IT UP
AND SEE WHAT EXISTS
ON THE SPACECRAFT.
SO THEY SONICATE IT,
WE RELEASE THOSE MICROBES,
THEN WE HEAT SHOCK IT.
HEAT SHOCKING, UH,
AT 80 DEGREES CELSIUS,
OR 167 DEGREE--
176 DEGREES, FAHRENHEIT,
UH, BASICALLY ALLOWS US TO
ELIMINATE THE COMMON MICROBES
LIKE STAPH AND E. COLI,
THINGS THAT EXIST,
UH, ON HUMANS OR
IN THE ENVIRONMENT.
BUT WE CAN SELECT FOR
REALLY HARDY SPORES.
THESE SPORES HAVE THE ABILITY
TO SURVIVE DESICCATION,
THE VACUUM OF SPACE,
HIGHER TEMPERATURES,
AND IT'S THE MAIN FORM OF LIFE
THAT HAS THE HIGHEST POTENTIAL
TO SURVIVE THE JOURNEY TO MARS.
SO WE PERFORM
PLANETARY PROTECTION,
THE REASON WHY WE SELECT FOR
SPORES IS BECAUSE THE GOAL OF
FORWARD PLANETARY PROTECTION
IS TO MAKE SURE
WE DON'T CONTAMINATE
THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WE'RE
EXPLORING SO THAT WE'RE
RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS,
AND, UH, WE BASICALLY
DO THE RIGHT THING.
IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
IN ADDITION TO THAT,
A SEPARATE THING THAT INVOLVES
A LOT OF BIOLOGY IS CALLED
RETURN SAMPLE SCIENCE.
SO THAT'S A SEPARATE ENTITY
THAT ALLOWS US TO NOT ONLY
LOOK FOR THE SPORE FORMERS,
BUT ALSO TAKE SAMPLES AND LOOK
FOR DNA OR LOOK FOR ALL
NON-SPORE FORMERS AND MAKE
SURE THAT THEY DON'T WORK
ITS WAY TO THE ACQUIRED SAMPLE
SO THAT WE CAN DO GOOD SCIENCE
AND CONFIDENTLY SAY THAT
THE SIGNAL THAT WE SEE
IS A TRUE SIGNAL.
SO WE DO ALL THAT IN THIS
LABORATORY HERE THAT-THAT
YOU'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW.
THESE ARE PETRI DISHES
THAT ARE-- THEY LOOK BLANK,
BUT THEY ACTUALLY HAVE
REAL SAMPLES IN HERE.
AND IT'S SO CLEAN THAT
WE DON'T ACTUALLY DETECT
MICROBES ON THE SURFACE,
SO WE HAVE TO WAIT THREE DAYS
FOR THEM TO GROW, UM,
TO A LEVEL THAT WE CAN
SEE THEM BY EYE.
WE ALSO, WHEN WE LOOK FOR DNA,
CATCH EVERYTHING,
ALL FORMS OF MICROBIOLOGY,
UH, INCLUDING VIRUSES.
AND ONE OF MY NUMBER ONE
QUESTIONS THAT I GET
THESE DAYS IS HAVE-HAVE YOU
DONE ANYTHING DIFFERENTLY
SINCE CORONAVIRUS CAME,
AND MY ANSWER IS NO,
BECAUSE EVERYTHING THAT WE DO,
THE SAMPLES THAT WE COLLECT,
WILL EITHER, UH,
DETECT CORONAVIRUS
OR WILL KILL CORONAVIRUS
AMONG ALL THE OTHER,
EVEN HARDIER MICROORGANISMS
THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING FOR.
SO CORONAVIRUS IS SOMETHING
THAT WE ARE-- THAT'S ON
OUR RADAR FOR DETECTION,
BUT IT'S DEFINITELY NOT WHAT--
IT'S ONE OF MANY THINGS
THAT WE LOOK FOR.
SO THE WAY WE KEEP SURFACES
CLEAN-- IT'S MANY, MANY
DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE USE,
UH, ONE OF WHICH IS HEAT
MICROBIALLY REDUCING
THE SPACECRAFT AND ESSENTIALLY
WE PUT THE SPACECRAFT AT
VARIOUS COMPONENT LEVELS
INTO THE OVEN.
IT REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF
MICROBES PRESENT ON THE SURFACE,
AND THEN THAT ALLOWS US
TO CLEAN THE SPACECRAFT.
WE ALSO BUILD IT
IN A CLEAN ROOM,
AND IN THAT CLEAN ROOM,
WE'RE WEARING BODYSUITS
HEAD TO TOE.
IT KEEPS THE BIGGEST RISK
OF CONTAMINATION, US,
SEPARATE FROM CONTAMINATING
THE SPACECRAFT.
WE ALSO WIPE IT DOWN
WITH ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL,
A 70/30 MIX.
AND THE NICE THING IS,
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT
YOU CAN DO AT HOME.
SO AS YOU-- AS YOU CLEAN
YOUR SURFACES OFF AT HOME,
YOU CAN THINK, WOW,
THIS IS THE SAME THING
THAT THEY DO TO
KEEP SPACECRAFTS CLEAN.
HOPEFULLY YOU LEARNED
SOMETHING NEW.
THANKS FOR VISITING.
>> IT TAKES THOUSANDS OF
PEOPLE AND YEARS OF HARD WORK
TO GET A SPACECRAFT
FROM EARTH TO MARS.
FROM FINDING POTENTIAL LANDING
SITES TO BRINGING TOGETHER
MANY ENGINEERS AND SCIENTISTS,
NASA IS ON THE ROAD
TO LAUNCH PERSEVERANCE
IN LESS THAN A WEEK.
WE HAVE EXCITING INFORMATION
FOR YOU AT THE END OF
THE EPISODE TO JOIN
THE GLOBAL WATCH PARTY,
SO STAY TUNED.
BUT FIRST,
LET'S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK
AT ALL THE PEOPLE
BEHIND THE SPACECRAFT.
>> WHEN YOU GO TO
ANOTHER PLANET,
THERE'S JUST SO MUCH
POTENTIAL FOR MAKING
BRAND NEW DISCOVERIES.
>> I'M ACTUALLY PUTTING
SOMETHING TOGETHER
THAT'S FLYING TO MARS.
>> ONE WAY OR ANOTHER,
YOU'RE GOING TO BE ON
THE GROUND IN SEVEN MINUTES.
WE WANT IT TO BE THERE SAFELY.
>> MY NAME IS HEATHER BOTTOM
AND I'M HELPING PREPARE
THE SPACECRAFT THAT WILL FLY
OUR NEXT MARS ROVER TO
THE MARTIAN SURFACE.
>> MY NAME IS DIANA TRUJILLO
AND I WORK WITH ROBOTIC ARMS
TO COLLECT SAMPLES ON MARS.
>> I'M AL CHEN AND I LEAD
THE LANDING TEAM FOR MARS 2020.
>> MY NAME IS
MICHELLE TOMEY COLIZZI.
>> MY NAME IS
MOOGEGA STRICKER.
>> MY NAME'S ERIC AGUILAR.
>> MY NAME IS
KATIE STACK MORGAN.
>> AND I'M HELPING TO PROTECT
THE NEXT MARS ROVER.
>> MARS 2020 WILL BE SEEKING
SIGNS OF ANCIENT LIFE IN
THE ROCK RECORD OF MARS.
>> WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS
TO ROVER AROUND THE SURFACE
OF THIS UNKNOWN PLANET.
>> COLLECT SAMPLES.
>> PROCESS THE TUBES
AS THEY COME BACK.
>> TO LOOK FOR THINGS THAT
WE CALL BIOSIGNATURES.
>> SO THAT EVENTUALLY WE CAN
BRING THOSE SAMPLES BACK TO
EARTH AND DETERMINE FOR
THE VERY FIRST TIME,
DID LIFE EXIST ON MARS?
>> BUT ALSO, WHERE COULD IT
BE PRESERVED FOR
FOUR MORE BILLION YEARS
FOR US TO FIND IT?
>> BEFORE THE ROVER
ACTUALLY FLIES,
YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT
EVERYTHING WORKS PROPERLY
WITH THE FLIGHT SOFTWARE
AND THE HARDWARE.
>> WE HIT THE ATMOSPHERE GOING,
YOU KNOW, 12-13,000
MILES PER HOUR.
>> AFTER THE JOURNEY THROUGH
SPACE, THROUGH THE VACUUM.
>> WE TRY TO TEST ALL OF OUR
HARDWARE TO THE ENVIRONMENTS
THAT WE WOULD SEE.
>> SO THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF
THE TESTING HAPPENS,
UH, BEHIND ME.
>> WE SPEND LOTS AND LOTS OF
HOURS HERE TESTING EVERYTHING.
>> IT GETS PUT IN AN OVEN,
IT GETS PUT IN VARIOUS
CHAMBERS AND CLEAN ROOMS.
>> SO WHAT WE CAN SEE
OVER HERE IS
THE STACKED SPACECRAFT.
>> THE ROBOTIC ARM IS
ACTUALLY RIGHT BEHIND ME.
>> THIS IS THE PLACE WHERE
THE MAGIC HAPPENS.
>> THIS IS THE MARS YARD,
AND THIS IS WHERE OUR ROVERS
PRACTICE DRIVING OVER
ROCKY TERRAIN.
>> THERE ARE HUNDREDS
OF PEOPLE THAT
HAVE TO COME TOGETHER
AND BUILD A SPACECRAFT.
>> YOU KIND OF HAVE TO PUT THOSE
DIFFERENT PIECES TOGETHER
AND MAKE SURE THAT THOSE
PIECES ALL ARE GONNA WORK.
>> AND I FEEL LIKE
SUCH A LUCKY PERSON
TO BE WORKING ON THIS.
>> EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE
TOUCHING ALL IS HARD WORK
THAT YOU'RE PUTTING IN
IN THE LONG HOURS.
>> TWENTY YEARS THE CHILDREN
WILL BE READING THIS IN
THEIR SCIENCE BOOK.
>> IT FEELS GREAT.
[ LAUGHING ]
>> THERE WILL BE A GLOBAL
LAUNCH PARTY TO WATCH
AND CELEBRATE THE LAUNCH OF
NASA'S PERSEVERANCE ROVER.
LET'S LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE
ABOUT THIS ROVING ROBOT
HEADING TO MARS.
FOR THAT, I'M JOINED BY
FLIGHT SYSTEM MANAGER,
RAY BAKER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
JOINING US TODAY, RAY.
>> THANK YOU, RAQUEL,
MY PLEASURE.
>> NOW, CAN YOU
EXPLAIN YOUR ROLE ON
THE MARS 2020 MISSION?
>> YEAH, I'M THE FLIGHT
SYSTEM MANAGER FOR MARS 2020,
SO I MANAGE THE GROUP OF
PEOPLE, ENGINEERS,
TECHNICIANS, SOFTWARE DESIGNERS
THAT DEVELOPED, BUILT,
AND TESTED THE SPACECRAFT.
EVERYTHING FROM
THE HEAT SHIELD,
TO THE PARACHUTE,
THE PROPULSION SYSTEMS,
FLIGHT COMPUTER,
AND THE SOFTWARE
THAT RUNS ON IT.
>> NOW I UNDERSTAND
WHEN LAUNCHING TO MARS
THERE'S A SPECIAL WINDOW
OF TIME THAT OCCURS
APPROXIMATELY EVERY 26 MONTHS.
WHY IS THAT AND WHEN IS THAT
WINDOW FOR PERSEVERANCE?
>> IT HAS TO DO WITH
THE ALIGNMENT OF EARTH AND MARS.
WHEN THEY'RE ALIGNED
JUST RIGHT,
WE CAN THROW A MAXIMUM AMOUNT
OF MASS AT THE PLANET.
THAT MEANS BIGGER SPACECRAFT,
MORE PAYLOAD, UM,
MORE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO
ONCE WE GET THERE.
>> AND IF YOU LAUNCH ON
A DIFFERENT DAY THAN
THE INTENDED LAUNCH,
WILL IT STILL GET THERE
AT THE SAME TIME?
>> IT WILL,
BECAUSE AFTER LAUNCH WE DO
WHAT'S CALLED A TRAJECTORY
CORRECTION MANEUVER TO REFINE
OUR TRAJECTORY SO THAT WE HIT
THE PLANET NOT ONLY WHERE
WE WANT TO HIT THE PLANET,
UH, AT THE LANDING SITE,
BUT ALSO PRECISELY AT THE TIME
THAT WE WANNA ARRIVE.
>> AND ONCE PERSEVERANCE
LAUNCHES INTO SPACE,
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
>> AFTER LAUNCH,
WE PREPARE THE SPACECRAFT
FOR THE SEVEN-MONTH LONG
JOURNEY TO MARS.
WE ADJUST ITS SPIN RATE
TO ABOUT TWO REVOLUTIONS
PER MINUTE.
WE ADJUST THE POINTING RELATIVE
TO THE SUN AND THE EARTH
SO WE CAN PRODUCE POWER
ON THE SOLAR RAYS
AND SO THAT WE CAN
COMMUNICATE WITH IT.
AND WE'LL ALSO PERFORM
CHECKOUTS OF ALL OF
THE SUBSYSTEMS TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE'RE HEALTHY AND READY
FOR ENTRY, DESCENT, AND LANDING,
AND THE MISSION
THAT COMES AFTER.
>> AND NOW I HAVE AN #askNASA
QUESTION FOR YOU
FROM SOCIAL MEDIA.
SANJIV ON FACEBOOK IS ASKING,
"WHERE IS THE CHIP CONTAINING
MILLIONS OF NAMES SUBMITTED?"
>> SO THAT CHIP IS ON A PIECE
OF STRUCTURE CALLED
THE AFT CROSSBEAM.
IT'S A BRIDGE-LIKE STRUCTURE
THAT'S ON THE BACK OF THE ROVER.
AT THE TOP OF THE BRIDGE IS
A PLAQUE WITH SOME ARTWORK
AND THIS CHIP WITH
EVERYBODY'S NAME,
INCLUDING MINE.
>> THAT'S GREAT.
MINE'S ON THERE TOO.
I'M REALLY EXCITED FOR IT
TO GO TO MARS.
AND THAT IS ALL THE TIME
WE HAVE TODAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
JOINING US, RAY.
>> THANK YOU, RAQUEL.
>> AND THANK YOU FOR
JOINING US AT HOME.
MAKE SURE YOU TUNE IN TO WATCH
PERSEVERANCE'S LAUNCH TO MARS
NEXT WEEK AT NASA.GOV/LIVE.
YOU CAN ALSO PARTICIPATE IN
THE VIRTUAL NASA SOCIAL EVENT,
WHICH WILL TAKE YOU
BEHIND THE SCENES
AND UP CLOSE WITH NASA
EXPERTS AHEAD OF THE LAUNCH.
YOU CAN USE THE HASHTAG
#COUNTDOWNTOMARS TO JOIN
THE CONVERSATION ONLINE
AND VISIT NASA.GOV/BEOURGUEST
AND FOLLOW @NASAPERSEVERE
ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER
FOR THE LATEST UPDATES
AND WAYS TO GET INVOLVED.
WE ARE SO EXCITED FOR
THIS COUNTDOWN TO MARS.
[ MUSIC ]