Looking for Life on Mars - A Rover's Year on the Red Planet
March 25, 2024
The new robot NASA sent to Mars is called "Perseverance". Its mission? To search for evidence of past life on the Red Planet - an important and ambitious endeavor. It took years to design the space probe and its small helicopter drone, called "Ingenuity". This documentary follows the rover's development, right up to its landing in the Jezero Crater on February 18, 2021.
The mission proved to be a complete success: the robot landed safely and all the instruments on board functioned smoothly. As a result, "Perseverance" was able to deliver high-resolution images of Mars. But getting there was an arduous journey for all involved.
On site, "Perseverance" takes samples from the crater, which scientists believe was once a river delta. Geological traces of past life - so-called biosignatures - could be hidden in the rock. Eventually, these samples will be brought back to Earth for analysis. Among other things, they could provide insights into possible life on Mars.
The four-pound mini-helicopter "Ingenuity", which traveled in the belly of the rover, is now carrying out a series of test flights. These are the first of their kind to be undertaken on another planet. Another task of "Perseverance" is to test an innovative technology for extracting oxygen from the atmosphere. It is hoped that the gas can be used as fuel -- or to supply oxygen for future manned flights to Mars.
Broadcasting Hours:
DW English
FRI 12.04.2024 – 01:15 UTC
FRI 12.04.2024 – 04:15 UTC
FRI 12.04.2024 – 18:15 UTC
SAT 13.04.2024 – 13:15 UTC
SUN 14.04.2024 – 19:15 UTC
MON 15.04.2024 – 09:15 UTC
MON 15.04.2024 – 21:15 UTC
WED 17.04.2024 – 12:15 UTC
Lagos UTC +1 | Cape Town UTC +2 | Nairobi UTC +3
Delhi UTC +5,5 I Bangkok UTC +7 | Hong Kong UTC +8
London UTC +1 | Berlin UTC +2 | Moscow UTC +3
San Francisco UTC -7 | Edmonton UTC -6 | New York UTC -4