Mars Perseverance Rover, deployed to explore Martian atmosphere and terrain, had just landed on the red planet after completing a tricky descent to Jezero Crater during what is better known as “seven minutes of terror”. But for Indian-American Mohan, 38, who was responsible for landing the spacecraft after a seven-month, 300-million-mile journey, there was the additional responsibility of commentary. The camera took images as the Rover descended, and pieces of the image were matched with orbital imagery stored onboard. Mohan wanted to be a pediatrician, until she came across Star Trek and got interested in space. Mohan joined the Mars Mission in 2013, three years after she completed her PhD and began learning from those involved in the Curiosity Mission (2012) before being given a pivotal role in the landing of Perseverance.

Source: Indian Express February 24, 2021 20:06 UTC