PITTSBURGH (Newsradio 1020 KDKA) - NASA will land in Mars this weekend, Mars, PA that is.
NASA is joining in the on the town's annual Mars New Year Celebration, where they'll talk about "Mars exploration and share the agency's excitement about landing astronauts on the Moon in five years."
NASA adds, "Returning to the Moon with NASA's Artemis program will play an important role in preparing for future crewed missions to the Red Planet."
The weekend kicks off with a Q and A at 5 p.m. Friday in front of the flying saucer sculpture located at 100 Pittsburgh Street.
Among those taking questions will be town mayor Greg Hartung, NASA's chief technologist Douglas Terrier and Missy Gralish, spokesperson for the event.
Other events include the Mars costume contest, music from an Earth, Wind & Fire tribute band and more.
NASA will also have the following on display:
- A half-scale model of NASA's InSight lander, the most recent mission to land on Mars
- A mini robotic rover named ROV-E, used to engage students in STEAM
- An augmented reality experience of Gale Crater, created with real data from NASA's Curiosity Mars rover
- A model of NASA's Mars Helicopter, a vehicle that will accompany the next rover when it lands on the Red Planet in 2020
- A "make your own quake" jump station
The celebration runs Friday from 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
This is the third time NASA has come to Mars.
Get more information here.
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