The spot in Jezero Crater , where NASA 's Perseverance rover made its historic landing on February 18, has been named "Octavia E. Butler Landing" in honor of science fiction author Octavia E. Butler.
Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA's associate administrator for science, said the following: "I can think of no better person to mark this historic landing site than Octavia E. Butler, who not only grew up next to JPL [NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory] in Pasadena, but also inspired millions of people with her visions for a science-based future.
Octavia E. Butler, who died in 2006 at the age of 58, was the first African American woman to win the Hugo and Nebula awards, as well as the first science‑fiction author to be honored with the MacArthur Fellowship. She is known for works such as the Xenogenesis trilogy and the Parable and Patternist series, in which she criticized the hierarchical and pre‑emptive trends of humanity, especially those based on race, gender and class.
Additionally, Kathryn Stack Morgan, deputy project scientist for Perseverance, said in a NASA press release: “Butler’s protagonists are distinguished by their determination and ingenuity, making her an ideal choice to lead the Perseverance rover mission and address its challenges. Butler has inspired and influenced the planetary science community and many others, including those typically underrepresented in STEM fields.”
The Perseverance rover – which is located at the now‑named Octavia E. Butler Landing inside the Jezero crater – successfully completed its first test drive on March 4.
During the 33-minute drive, mission had the rover move forward 13 feet (4 meters), turn 150 degrees to the left while standing still, and then back up 8 feet (2.5 meters) to a new Martian parking lot. In total, Percy traveled 21.3 feet (6.5 meters) — one small step for a rover but a giant leap for the team behind it.
Engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) said they were pleased that the six-wheeled, car- is performing better than tests on Earth. It is also able to travel a greater distance in a day, about 200 meters, because it is better able to avoid obstacles such as large rocks and sand traps.
Additionally, the rover's software recently received updates , and various instruments have now been deployed, including a pair of wind sensors and a ground-penetrating radar. The machine's 7-foot (2-meter) robotic arm was also put to use, as the team flexed all five joints during a two-hour test. This was important, as the arm will eventually allow for monitoring geological features and drilling samples.
The rover will continue on longer test drives, and its many instruments will continue to be tested and calibrated. NASA scientists are currently studying available data about the surrounding area to determine the best route for the rover. As part of this phase, NASA will deploy the Ingenuity helicopter, which is currently tethered under the rover's "belly." The team will soon select an airfield from which to launch the small aerial vehicle.
Perseverance, which is scheduled to travel 15 kilometers within the next Martian year (equivalent to about two Earth years), is the most advanced mobile astrobiology laboratory ever sent to another planet or moon, with the aim of searching for traces of microbial life, thanks to its many scientific instruments, robotic arm and high-resolution cameras .
