Mars Perseverance Rover Mission

We're on a Mission to Mars with ULA
United Launch Alliance is making launch history
We're on a Mission to Mars with ULA
Bringing the Perseverance Rover to Mars in 2020

Before we launch, we need to plan in advance
If we don't time this right, we'll be launching by chance
The Earth and Mars are moving on different lines
So we have to wait for a window when Mars is close to Earth in time

When we launch, we need to create the right trajectory
And aim at a point in space where Mars will be
7 months from July 20th you see
If we launch between July 20th and August 11th, that sets us forth
To reach Mars in 7 months when it's closest to Earth

We're on the launchpad, waiting to leave
We'll take off in T-minus six, five, four, three, two, one, liftoff!

The Atlas V is heading to space to orbit Earth
To send the Perseverance to Mars to propel our knowledge forth
I'm the Atlas V Rocket, let me show you my parts
I have 4 Solid Rocket Boosters, I'd say that's a good start

My RD-180 engine has a lot of thrust
And the Atlas Booster on this mission is a must
I have two 5m payload fairings, there's a left and a right
That houses my Centaur, which is crucial for this flight

The Centaur brings the Sky Crane and rover into orbit
Then shoots it to Mars, to discover more about its planet
Shortly after liftoff, the Atlas Rocket begins to pitch
For the proper flight path while minimizing the pressure on it

The SRBs are released at 1 minute, 49 seconds
Once all SRBs are released, then they are done
When approaching fair load fairing jettison
Atlas V's burning propellant at a rate of 2,000 pounds per second

Now I'm travelling at 6,900 miles per hour
That's an incredible amount of thrust caused by rocket power
Half past 3 minutes, I've climbed above the densest part
Of the Earth's atmosphere, on this course we did chart

At 4 minutes, 30 seconds, propeller levels deplete
And the main engine shuts down, this part of my mission is complete
Six seconds later, the Atlas Centaur separation activates
This is the time to release the Booster Stage

At 4 minutes, 40 seconds, Centaur's first engine burn begins
Sending the Centaur into circular orbit on its ascent
At eleven minutes, cutoff of Centaur's main engine occurs
The Centaur will now start to coast, but don't be concerned

After a fourteen-minute coast at an optimized longitude
This allows for a proper alignment of the second burn
I will go through
The Centaur main engine is restarted for the second of two burns
Seven minutes later, the second cutoff of the main engine occurs

At 5 hours, 30 minutes, the main engine ignites
For a third and final burn of Centaur along this short flight
Five minutes later, the Centaur's engine is done
Concluding the total fuel depletion

This is when the Centaur will release the spacecraft
On its projected journey to Mars, to deliver the rover at last

Seven months later, Mars' gravity will capture the spacecraft see
And hold onto it until the Sky Crane is set to release
The Sky Crane is used for entry, descent, and landing
Of the rover on Mars' surface, this job is so demanding

There's seven minutes to get from Mars' atmosphere to its surface
Going from 13,000 miles per hour to zero without a miss
When the spacecraft is released after entering the atmosphere
Its parachute deploys to slow the Sky Crane that's shown here

The parachute releases and the Sky Crane boosters ignite
It hovers the rover above Mars' surface at the right height
The Crane lowers the rover with cables above Mars' surface
Then releases the rover safely on its wheels with bliss

NASA's Perseverance rover has two main objectives you see
To find signs of life, and sample materials they'd be
This is the first part of a return mission to Earth
With ULA, exploring the known universe

We're on a Mission to Mars with ULA
United Launch Alliance is making launch history
We're on a Mission to Mars with ULA
Bringing the Perseverance Rover to Mars in 2020