Perseverance: Entry Descent and Landing

Talk by NASA’s Jose Santos, Aerospace Engineer and MEDLI2 Deputy Project Manager Friday, February 19
11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Watch on Facebook and YouTube

Entry, Descent, and Landing – often referred to as “EDL” – is the shortest and most intense phase of the Mars 2020 mission. It begins when the spacecraft reaches the top of the Martian atmosphere, travelling nearly 12,500 miles per hour (20,000 kilometers per hour). It ends about seven minutes later, with Perseverance stationary on the Martian surface. To safely go from those speeds down to zero, in that short amount of time, while hitting a narrow target on the surface, requires “slamming on the brakes” in a very careful, creative and challenging way.

Learn about all of this and more from NASA Expert, Jose Santos, Aerospace Engineer and MEDLI2 Deputy Project Manager