Is there life on Mars? Or is there spaghetti on Mars?
NASA's Perseverance Rover recently captured a weird noodle-like object on the Red Planet, and it left the Internet wondering what this object is. The object, which resembles a jumbled bundle of string, was first seen by the Mars rover's camera on July 12 before suddenly disappearing four days later.
However, NASA has finally laid the enigma of this object to rest.
So what is this strange object lying on Martian ground?
Spaghetti on Mars? The Perseverance rover mission on Mars featured this image as "Image of the Week" for Week 74 (July 10 - 16, 2022) after it was chosen by the general audience. At 16:56:25 local mean solar time on July 12, 2022 (Sol 495), this photograph was captured.
Martian Ramen
At first, NASA believed that this weird noodle thing was most likely a piece of cord that came from the parachute or landing system of the Perseverance rover.
The space agency insisted that it was a terrestrial object and did not originate from the Red Planet.
But alas, NASA has finally provided a more concrete answer. It cleared that this object was nothing more than a piece of Dacron netting. Unfortunately for ramen lovers, there are no noodles on Mars.
"The hardware teams suspect that this is another piece of Dacron netting, based on the observed 2x2 mm2 grid mesh pattern. They noted that this particular piece of netting appears to have undergone significant unraveling/shredding, suggesting that it was subjected to strong forces," NASA wrote in a statement on Monday.
Read also: NASA Mars Perseverance Rover Captures A 'Clear View' of The Martian Landscape
"Possible Source of Contamination"
The entry, descent, and landing (EDL) equipment for the Perseverance rover fell off after touching down on Mars in February last year and crashed safely away. The Dacron netting was among the debris that was thrown over the Martian surface after the EDL's crash.
As noted by Futurism, the material has traveled remarkably far, given that it crashed about 1.4 miles distant from the rover, most likely because of wind, according to NASA.
While the internet found this object exciting and humorous, NASA is taking this seriously.
The Perseverance team is now looking into the images in case the object may pose a "possible contamination source" for the sample tubes located in the area where it was discovered.
But the space agency clarified that the object does not render any "immediate concerns."
The shredded debris may even end up entwined with the Perseverance rover itself, according to Futurism but NASA engineers rated this risk as "low."
While the far-fetched and fictional idea of Mars having its own spaghetti was amusing, NASA has finally laid our speculations to rest. The mystery was fun while it lasted.
The space agency does not consider this object to be a serious threat since it is becoming increasingly typical to find space debris or junk on the surface of the Red Planet.
Related Article: Weird Object on Mars: NASA Curiosity Rover Spots Strange Twisting Rock Towers
This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by Joaquin Victor Tacla
