WKU News

The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, as shown in this artist’s conception, could pave the way for aerial reconnaissance of the Red Planet, exploring areas inaccessible to astronauts and rovers. (NASA/JPL-CalTech)

Perseverance to Reach Mars will open Thursday night at WKU’s Hardin Planetarium.

NASA’s Perseverance Rover will reach Mars on Feb. 18 to begin its search for signs of ancient microbial life, and characterizing environmental conditions that could affect future astronauts living and working on Mars. Perseverance will be only the fifth rover to attempt landing on Mars – when less than 50% of the missions ever sent to Mars by any space agency have been successful. The mission for this 1-ton, compact-car sized, nuclear-powered science laboratory on 6-wheels is to navigate around Jezero Crater’s ancient river delta, analyzing 3½ billion-year-old samples formed when Mars was still wet.

Hardin Planetarium’s free of charge public shows are offered every Tuesday and Thursday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Perseverance to Reach Mars, which will be presented Jan. 7-Feb. 18, has a 35-minute running time, with time for questions at the end of the presentation. Suitable for all ages. No ticket required and no reservations accepted. The show will begin on time, with no late entrance permitted.

Masks are to be worn at all times within the building. Our temporarily limited capacity provides for substantial distancing in Hardin Planetarium’s large spaces. Guest names and phone numbers will be collected for contact tracing, and seating is assigned by planetarium staff. Shortly before the show, attendees will be guided to their assigned seats within the domed star chamber. While waiting to be seated, guests are encouraged to explore the exhibits, moving counter-clockwise through the Ring Hall.

More information is available by calling (270) 745-4044 or visiting http://www.wku.edu/planetarium/.

Contact: Chris Chandler, (270) 745-4044