Google is celebrating the successful landing of NASA’s Perseverance rover on Mars with a virtual fireworks show, an augmented reality 3D model, and more.
Back in July of last year, NASA launched its “Mars 2020” mission, with the goal of landing a rover on our neighbor planet for a two-year mission of collecting rock samples and searching for signs of ancient life in Mars’s Jezero Crater. Seven months later, on February 18, 2021, Perseverance successfully landed on the surface of Mars with help from the Ingenuity helicopter.
To celebrate the monumental achievement, the folks at Google have prepared a few fun ways to celebrate. First up, Google Search is currently rewarding any searches for “Perseverance” with an animated fireworks display, shown over the search results.
Meanwhile, over on Google Arts & Culture, you can get an in-depth look at the history, goals, and technology behind NASA’s Mars 2020 mission. Alongside that, Google is also offering a detailed 3D model of the Perseverance rover, allowing you to see it from all angles.
Just like the models in Google’s ever-popular 3D animals craze, the 3D model of Perseverance can be put into your room using the handy “View in Augmented Reality” button. This uses Google’s ARCore tech — available on most, but not all phones — to put the rover in your home to get a feeling for how big it actually is.
If you’re interested in learning more about Perseverance’s mission on Mars and other advancements in humanity’s journey to the stars, be it from NASA, SpaceX, or Blue Origin, be sure to check out our sister site, Space Explored.
Author: Kyle Bradshaw
Source: 9TO5Google
