NASA to Broadcast Mars 2020 Perseverance Launch, Prelaunch Activities
Starting July 27, news activities will cover everything from mission engineering and science to returning samples from Mars to, of course, the launch itself.
NASA is targeting 7:50 a.m. EDT (4:50 a.m. PDT) Thursday, July 30, for the launch of its Mars 2020 Perseverance rover on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The launch window is approximately two hours, with a launch opportunity every five minutes.Live launch coverage will begin at 7 a.m. EDT (4 a.m. PDT) on NASA Television and the agency'swebsite.Get the Latest JPL NewsSubscribe to the NewsletterThe mission - designed to better understand the geology and climate of Mars and seek signs of ancient life on the Red Planet - will use the robotic scientist, which weighs just under 2,300 pounds (1,043 kilograms) and is the size of a small car, to collect and store a set of rock and soil samples that could be returned to Earth by future Mars sample return missions. It also will test new technologies to benefit future robotic and human exploration of Mars.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, managed by Caltech in Southern California, built the Perseverance rover and will manage mission operations for NASA. The agency'sLaunch Services Program, based at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, is responsible for launch management.Mars 2020 Perseverance is part of America's larger Moon to Mars exploration approach that includes missions to the Moon as a way to prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet. Charged with sending the first woman and next man to the Moon by 2024, NASA will establish a sustained human presence on and around the Moon by 2028 through NASA'sArtemis program.Questions may be asked via social media with the hashtag #CountdownToMars.Full mission coverage is as follows:Monday, July 271 p.m. EDT (10 a.m. PDT) - Mars 2020 Prelaunch News Conference. Participants include:NASA Administrator Jim BridenstineThomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator, NASA's Science Mission DirectorateOmar Baez, launch director, NASA's Launch Services ProgramMatt Wallace, deputy project manager, JPLTory Bruno, CEO, United Launch AllianceJessica Williams, launch weather officer, 45th Space Force3 p.m. EDT (12 p.m. PDT) - Mars 2020 Mission Engineering/Science Briefing. Participants include:Lori Glaze, NASA Planetary Science Division directorJennifer Trosper, deputy project manager, JPLFarah Alibay, mobility engineer, JPLKen Farley, project scientist, CaltechTanja Bosak, science team member, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyTuesday, July 282 p.m. EDT (11 a.m. PDT) - Mars 2020 Mars Sample Return Briefing. Participants include:Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator, NASA's Science Mission DirectorateDavid Parker, director of human and robotic exploration, ESA (European Space Agency)Jeff Gramling, NASA Mars Sample Return Program directorJulie Townsend, sampling and caching operations lead, JPLChris Herd, returned sample science participating scientist, University of AlbertaLisa Pratt, NASA planetary protection officer4 p.m. EDT (1 p.m. PDT) - Mars 2020 Mission Tech and Humans to Mars Briefing. Participants include:Jeff Sheehy, chief engineer, NASA's Space Technology Mission DirectorateJim Watzin, NASA Mars Exploration Program directorMichael Hecht, MOXIE principal investigator, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyMiMi Aung, Ingenuity Mars Helicopter project manager, JPLAmy Ross, lead spacesuit engineer NASA's Johnson Space CenterMichelle Rucker, Mars Integration Group lead, NASA's Johnson Space CenterWednesday, July 29Noon EDT (9 a.m. PDT) - Administrator Briefing. Participants include:NASA Administrator Jim BridenstineNASA Deputy Administrator Jim MorhardKennedy Center Director Bob CabanaNASA astronaut Zena CardmanThursday, July 307 a.m. EDT (4 a.m. PDT) - NASA TV live launch coverage begins11:30 a.m. EDT (8:30 a.m. PDT) - Postlaunch News ConferenceAudio only of the news conferences and launch coverage will be carried on the NASA "V" circuits, which may be accessed by dialing 321-867-1220, -1240, -1260, or -7135. On launch day, "mission audio," the launch conductor's countdown activities without NASA TV launch commentary, will be carried on 321-867-7135.On launch day, a "clean feed" of the launch without NASA TV commentary will be carried on the NASA TV media channel. Launch also will be available on local amateur VHF radio frequency 146.940 MHz and UHF radio frequency 444.925 MHz, heard within Brevard County on Florida's Space Coast.For more information, visit:https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/NASA's Mars 2020 press kit:https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/press_kits/mars_2020/launch/