Bevy of Online Events Precedes Thursday’s Launch of JPL-Built Mars Perseverance Rover

The NASA/JPL Perseverance rover is readied for its mission to Mars in an undated photo provided by NASA.

From behind-the-scenes tours to a virtual Martian photo booth, NASA and Pasadena’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory have lined up a host of online events to allow the public to take part in Thursday’s planned launch of the Mars 2020 mission, carrying the JPL-built Perseverance rover and first-of-its-kind Ingenuity helicopter.

The spacecraft is scheduled to blast off from Cape Canaveral at 4:50 a.m. atop an Atlas V rocket, beginning its seven-month, 290-million-mile trip to Mars. Anyone with an Internet connection will be able to watch.

“Members of the public can attend the launch virtually, receiving mission updates and opportunities normally received by on-site guests,” JPL said in a written statement.

“NASA’s virtual launch experience for Mars 2020 Perseverance rover includes: a behind-the-scenes look at the mission; augmented reality filters; access to an engaging NASA social community; an invitation to submit videos to be part of the televised launch broadcast; toolkits for students; a chance to take a souvenir photo in the Mars Photo Booth; and the opportunity to send your name to Mars!” according to the statement.

Live coverage of the launch is scheduled to begin at 4 a.m. on multiple platforms, including NASA Television, the NASA website, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitch, Daily Motion and Theta.TV.”

Grammy-winning singer and songwriter Gregory Porter will perform “America the Beautiful” during the broadcast, organizers said.

The Perseverance rover will continue NASA’s mission of exploring Mars and searching for signs of ancient life, while the Ingenuity helicopter is a technology demonstration mission meant to show that helicopter flight in Mars’ atmosphere is possible.

For more information, or to register for online activities surrounding the launch, space enthusiasts can visit nasa.gov/beourguest.