The Mars 2020 Perseverance rover mission’s disk-shaped cruise stage sits atop the bell-shaped back shell, which contains the powered descent stage and Perseverance rover. Below is the brass-colored heat shield that is about to be attached to the back shell. The next time the back shell and cruise stage will separate will be about 6 miles above Mars’ Jezero Crater in February 2021.
NASA/courtesy photo
August 5, 2020
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August 5, 2020 midnight
Moses Lake explosive critical to success of Mars rover mission
MOSES LAKE — With the successful launch early Thursday of NASA’s Perseverance spacecraft, a little bit of Moses Lake is now headed to Mars.