7 Minutes to Mars: NASA's Perseverance Rover Attempts Most Dangerous Landing Yet

Editorial Analysis

All landings on Mars are difficult, but NASA's Perseverance rover is attempting to touch down in the most challenging terrain on Mars ever targeted. The intense entry, descent, and landing phase, known as EDL, begins when the spacecraft reaches the top of the Martian atmosphere. Engineers have referred to the time it takes to land on Mars as the seven minutes of terror.The landing sequence is complex and targeting a location like Jezero Crater on Mars is only possible because of new landing technologies known as Range Trigger and Terrain-Relative Navigation. The Perseverance rover is set to land on the surface of Mars on February 18, 2021. For more information about Perseverance, visit https://mars.nasa.gov/perseveranceCredit: NASA/JPL-Caltech