NASA’s Perseverance rover is equipped with two microphones and so far, the mission has recorded around five hours of Martian wind gusts, rover wheels traveling over gravel, and motors whirring as the spacecraft works its robotic arm. Perseverance is also the first spacecraft to record the sounds of Mars using dedicated microphones, with the first one located on the side of the rover’s chassis, while the second mic sits on its mast.
These off-the-shelf microphones allow scientists to study how sound propagates on Mars, especially since the planet’s atmosphere is far less dense than Earth’s. This means that higher-pitched sounds in particular would be hard to hear, but they were pleasantly surprised when the microphone picked up the Ingenuity helicopter’s rotors during its fourth flight.
- POWERFUL TELESCOPE FOR BEGINNERS: The AstroMaster 102AZ is the perfect entry-level telescope for adults and kids eager to explore the night sky. You...
- HIGH-QUALITY 102MM OPTICS: Enjoy crisp, detailed views through the fully coated 102mm (4") short-tube refractor, offering a wide field of view ideal...
- VERSATILE DAY & NIGHT USE: Designed for both astronomical and land-based viewing, the AstroMaster 70AZ lets you explore the stars at night and enjoy...
It’s like you’re really standing there. Martian sounds have strong bass vibrations, so when you put on headphones, you can really feel it. I think microphones will be an important asset to future Mars and solar system science,” said Baptiste Chide, a planetary scientist who studies data from the microphones at L’Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie in France.
