Google celebrates NASA rover landing on Mars with virtual fireworks

New Delhi, Feb 19 (IANS) As the NASA successfully landed its Perseverance rover in a deep crater near the planet Mars' equator called Jezero, Google on Friday added a virtual fireworks on its page for a specific search.

If you search "Perseverance" on Google, you will see firework all over the page.

"Good things come to those who persevere. Congrats @NASA and @NASAPersevere on a successful landing!" Google tweeted.

Engineers at NASA's mission control in California erupted with joy when confirmation of touchdown came through.

The six-wheeled vehicle will now spend at least the next two years drilling into the local rocks, looking for evidence of past life.

Jezero is thought to have held a giant lake billions of years ago. And where there's been water, there's the possibility there might also have been life.

The signal alerting controllers that Perseverance was down and safe arrived at 20:55 GMT. In the past they might have hugged and high-fived but strict coronavirus protocols meant they had all been separated by Perspex screens. A respectful fist bump was about all they could manage.

Indian American Swati Mohan virtually spearheaded the successful landing of Perseverance that will search for signs on life on the Red Planet.