NASA Mars Rover "Perseverance" launched from Cape Canaveral
The unmanned Mars Rover “Perseverance” weighs 1000 kilograms and is part of NASA's Mars Exploration Program. It will investigate the geological processes, climate and geological history of the planet. Perseverance carries seven scientific instruments and a 1.8-kilogram helicopter drone for first flights in the thin Martian atmosphere. JOANNEUM RESEARCH contributed to the development of Mastcam-Z a panoramic and stereoscopic camera system with zoom lens on the rover. In collaboration with VRVis, the mechanisms for assembling and visualizing 3D models for geological interpretation have been developed under an ESA-PRODEX contract. JOANNEUM RESEARCH will further accompany the mission from 2021 to 2022 of operational time. The Mastcam-Z Principle Investigator is Prof. Jim Bell from Arizona State University. Gerhard Paar from JOANNEUM RESEARCH DIGITAL is the Co-Investigator.
