NASA Perseverance Rover Sends First Images After Mars Landing
NASA's Perseverance rover successfully lands on Mars and immediately transmits its initial photographs of the Jezero Crater surface. These early black-and-white images help mission control pinpoint the exact touchdown location.
NASA's Perseverance rover successfully touches down on Mars in Jezero Crater after completing a harrowing seven-month journey and a perilous descent known as the "seven minutes of terror." Just minutes after the landing, the spacecraft beams its first two images back to eager scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
These initial photographs are black-and-white shots captured by hazard cameras that still have their protective lens covers attached. One of the images notably features the reassuring shadow of the rover itself cast across the dusty Martian terrain, proving the spacecraft is intact and ready for action.
Mission personnel use these early pictures to identify the exact location where Perseverance lands within the designated landing zone. While these first photos are relatively basic, NASA promises that future images from the rover's uncovered, high-resolution cameras will be much more impressive.