NASA’s Mars Perseverance Rover: Is Its Arm Ready To Dig More Rocks?

NASA has released a video demonstrating one of its most challenging obstacles: ensuring the rover's robotic arm is completely functioning.

These instruments are the first step in what the rover hopes will be a long journey as it explores Mars and looks for evidence of past existence.

NASA officials updated the rover's Twitter account on March 3. They flexed some of the rover's main gestures in the days after landing.

"This week I've been doing lots of health checkouts, getting ready to get to work," Perseverance said.

"I've checked many tasks off my list, including instrument tests, imaging, and getting my arm moving," it added.

What Would Perseverance's Arm Do?

Perseverance's arm is remarkably capable of drilling and collecting samples for a potential mission that will be carried back to Earth for a more detailed review of the samples.

The arm has a 7-foot reach, according to Space.com. That's around 2.1 meters. The arm is fitted with a series of instruments to help the rover capture samples of the planet's surface for further research. The arm will keep drill bits and other devices for navigation and analysis.

Depending on the rover's current mission, if it's promoting rover science or gathering and preserving samples, Perseverance's arm has three separate parts. The component also holds three critical analytic instruments that the rover requires to get up close and close to target rocks.

The space agency will hold a press conference on Friday (March 5) at 3:30 p.m. EST on its YouTube channel to update the rover and the mission.

Still, based on the Twitter update, Perseverance seems to be almost ready to begin its science mission with its robotic friend, Ingenuity. This miniature helicopter will try to fly for the first time on another planet.

What Sets Perseverance Apart From Other Rovers Is Its Arm

Perseverance has a long life ahead of it based on NASA's previous rover flights. BGR said previous NASA rovers have far outlived their intended lifespans and mission schedules, with the Opportunity rover being the most spectacular example.

With a 90-day mission timeline, the Opportunity rover landed on Mars. The mission would be deemed a success if NASA could keep the rover operational for three months while exploring the Martian terrain. That was in late January of 2004, and the rover had far exceeded all hopes. The rover had been performing research on the planet for over 14 years until it suddenly ceased working due to a planet-wide dust storm that hindered it from collecting solar power, eventually freezing it to death.

It is critical that Perseverance is in top form when it embarks on its path. As we've seen with other NASA hardware on Mars, a working robotic arm can be handy for the mission.

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