That magical spot in the Jezero Crater where NASA’s Perseverance rover made its historic landing last month has been named “Octavia E. Butler Landing” in honor of the late sci-fi author.
“I can’t think of a better person to mark this historic landing site than Octavia E. Butler, who didn’t just grow up alongside JPL [NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory] in Pasadena, but she also inspired millions with her vision of a science-based future, ”said Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA associate administrator for science, in a NASA release
Indeed, NASA has done well with this one, as Butler is a worthy choice for such a prestigious honor.
Butler, who died in 2006 at the age of 58, was the first African-American woman to use the Hugo and Haze awards and the first sci-fi writer to be honored with a MacArthur FellowshipThe acclaimed author is known for works like the Xenogenesis trilogy and the Likeness and Patternist series, in which she criticized humanity’s hierarchical and prejudicial tendencies, especially those based on race, gender, and class.
“Butler’s protagonists embody determination and inventiveness, making them a perfect fit for the Perseverance rover mission and the theme of overcoming challenges,” explained Kathryn Stack Morgan, deputy project scientist for Perseverance, in the NASA press release. “Butler inspired and influenced the planetary scientific community and many beyond, including those typically under-represented in STEM fields.”
G / O Media can receive a commission
The Perseverance rover – now officially at Octavia E. Butler Landing in the Jezero Crater –successfully completed his first test drive nn March 4.
During the 33-minute excursionNASA’s Mars 2020 mission specialists had the rover drive 4 meters forward, rotate 150 degrees to the left while in place, and then reverse 2.5 meters to a new parking space on Mars. In total, Percy covered 6.5 meters – a small step for a robber, but a giant leap for the team back home.
Percy’s six-wheel drive “responded well,” and the team is “confident” the propulsion system is “good to use,” said Anais Zarifian, Mars 2020 Perseverance rover mobility testbed engineer at JPL. Eventually, the rover will travel closer distances 650 feet (200 meters) as part of the mission’s scientific work
T.The rover’s software has recently been updated, and several instruments have now been deployed, including a pair of wind sensors and ground penetrating radar. The machine is 2 meters long (2meters) robotic arm was also put into action, such as the team flexed all five joints during a two-hour test. This was important, as the arm will eventually make it possible to observe geological features up close and to drill samples.
Looking ahead, the rover will take longer test drives, and its many instruments will remain so tested and calibrated. As part of this commissioning phase, NASA will implement the Ingenuity helicopter, which is currently attached to the rover’s belly. The team will soon select an airport to fly the little one air vehicle, in what is poised to become a historic test.
NASA’s Perseverance rover landed in Jezero crater on Feb. 18. A primary goal of the two-year mission is to search for this crater – a former lake and river delta signs of a past life