[ad_1]
Hobbyist puzzle enthusiasts were elated this week when NASA revealed it had hidden a secret color-coded message on the parachute for the Perseverance rover which landed on Mars last week.
The message, written by systems engineer Ian Clark in binary code through alternating white and orange stripes on the 70-foot drop, spelled out NASA’s motto “Dare Mighty Things,” which came from a quote from Theodore Roosevelt .
Clark, the main developer of the parachute, had an interesting problem with encoding the message – he couldn’t use colors that hadn’t already been tested in the atmosphere of Mars. Different colored dyes can weaken its integrity in its hostile environment.
“There are all kinds of questionable questions,” Clark said, according to The New York Times. “As if having more white than orange, or vice versa, could mean that the parachute was going to heat up differently and maybe that would change its behavior?”
BUZZ ALDRIN REACT TO PERSEVERANCE OF NASA ROVER LANDING ON MARS
Clark said when he asked Assistant Project Director Matt Wallace if he could put a message in the parachute, his only advice was to “make sure it was appropriate and couldn’t be misinterpreted.”
Only about six people knew of the encoded message before last Thursday’s landing, Clark, a crossword enthusiast, who called the creation of the encoded message “super fun,” said.
He said it only took puzzle solvers a few hours to figure out the binary-coded missive after it was teased at Monday’s press conference.
“I will have to be a little more creative” next time, he said.
HOW WILL NASA’S PERSEVERANCE ROVER ENGINEERS PILOT THE FIRST HELICOPTER ON MARS?
Clark also included the GPS coordinates of the mission headquarters at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., In the message – “34 ° 11’58” N 118 ° 10’31. “
At the press conference, engineer Allen Chen, who was in charge of the landing system, told space fans, “Sometimes we leave messages in our work for others to find there. end. So we invite you all to try and show your work. “
The alternation of black and white – or orange and white in this case – often indicates that something is in binary code, giving enthusiasts their first clue.
Eventually, internet sleuths realized the series of ones and zeros came in groups of 10 and spelled out the inspirational message on the three inner rings of the parachute, according to The Times.
Within hours, computer science student Maxence Abela posted his response on Twitter.
“Looks like the internet cracked the code in about 6 hours!” Adam Steltzner, chief engineer of the mission, tweeted, showing a graph of the response.
A message was also written on a plate that will be used to calibrate a camera on the rover, according to The Times.
He said, “Are we alone? We have come here to look for signs of life and to collect samples of Mars for study on Earth. To those who follow, we wish a safe journey and the joy of discovery.”
The plaque also includes depictions of NASA’s five Martian rovers growing in size over the years.
And Wallace promised more Easter eggs associated with the rover.
He said they should be visible once Perseverance’s seven-foot arm deploys in a few days and begins photographing under the vehicle, and again when the rover is driving in a few weeks.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“Definitely, should definitely keep a good watch,” he urged.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
[ad_2]
Source link