?! A strange object on Mars keeps scientists busy... Is it pasta
A tangled object spotted on Mars by NASA's Perseverance mobile robot for the Mars 2020 mission has aroused the interest of space scientists, making some think it might be a piece of pasta.
The more logical and realistic explanation is that the object is likely the remains of a component used in the process of landing the robotic explorer on the surface of Mars in February 2021.
"speculation"
In this context, a spokesman for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory said in an interview with Agence France-Presse: “We were discussing the issue of the source of this object, and speculation emerged that it constitutes a piece of rope belonging to a parachute or the landing system that was used to slowly lower the vehicle,” adding: “But we have no confirmations.” Regarding any of the two possibilities.
It is noteworthy that the object was spotted for the first time on July 12 through the hazard avoidance camera installed on the front left side of the vehicle, but when the latter returned to the same location 4 days later, the object had disappeared.
It was possible that the wind blew it away, like a piece of thermal insulation that the spacecraft observed last month, and it may be a remnant of the rocket-powered landing system.
"Historical gems"
The accumulation of waste left behind by the vehicle is considered minor damage compared to the practical goals behind the mission, which are to search for biosignatures of ancient microbial life forms. These items may one day become valuable relics for those who will colonize Mars in the future.
Amateur space scientist Stuart Atkinson tweeted that within 100 years or more, Martians will eagerly collect these pieces and place them in museums or turn them into “historical gems.”
Source: websites