As much as we like to write about fictional shows like WandaVision, The Mandalorian and other superhero or sci-fi content, it’s also pretty cool to write about something happening on another planet that isn’t part of the MCU or some other universe. This week, we get the chance to do just that, because NASA is about to land on Mars!

The latest Mars rover, Perseverance, is scheduled to touch down on the red planet on Thursday, February 18 - and you can watch it like no other previous landing. So, here are the basics on the big event and how you can watch it live.

How can you Watch the Landing?

NASA will provide live coverage with NASA commentary and updates beginning 11:15 am PT on Thursday, February 18. If all goes according to plan, the actual touch down should occur around 12:30 pm MT. While we won’t see live video of the landing itself due to the nature of sending data over the vast distance from Mars to the Earth, we hope to at least see a few images not too long after a successful landing.

The mission is equipped with an array of cameras and microphones to capture the event, so we can hope to both watch and hear the sound of the landing a few days later, once the data has all been received by NASA and made available.   

What’s Different About This Mission?

Perseverance represents the most advanced rover ever sent to Mars and will be focused on exploring the Jezero crater in a search for signs of past microbial life, collecting and analyzing rock and soil samples, and gathering data for future human exploration on the planet.  

A Few Specs on the Rover

The rover is about the size of a car, weighs 2,260 lbs (on Earth anyway), and lifted off for Mars way back in July 2020. 

What are the Odds of Success?

Based on history, only about 40% of Mars missions have been successful, across various country and space agencies endeavors. Let’s face it, that’s not a great success rate unless you’re a hitter in Major League Baseball.  But, NASA has as good a recent track record as any space agency in getting to the red planet successfully (hello Curiosity and InSight).

So, keep your fingers crossed, and tune in for the landing!