This story is part of Welcome to Mars, our series exploring the red planet.
NASA’s Perseverance rover made history on Mars this week by dropping a tube full of rock onto the red planet’s surface, the first step in building the “first sample repository on another world.” It’s a momentous occasion, so why is everyone making Star Wars jokes?
The footage of the tube on the ground makes it look a lot like the handle of a lightsaber from Star Wars. It helps that dusty, rocky Mars could be a stand-in for Star Wars’ famous sandy planet Tatooine.
Mark Hamill, the actor behind Luke Skywalker, has been tagged quite a bit on Twitter, but hasn’t commented on the tube. Planetary scientist Paul Byrne kindly added a glowing green lightsaber blade to one of the rover’s images, tweeting: “Hey Mark Hamill, I think you dropped something.”
Not to spoil the illusion, but the tough titanium tube is actually quite small. The white part of the tube measures less than 6 inches (15.2 centimeters) and contains a sample slightly thicker than a pencil.
Even the director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which developed and operates the rover, got in on the sci-fi fun. “Lots of people say the Mars sample tube looks like a lightsaber,” tweeted Laurie Leshin. “I’ve been keeping my hand on my computer screen to see if it will be transported from Mars, since as the director of NASA JPL I’m pretty sure the Force is with me (right?). No joy so far , but I’ll keep trying!”
Many people say that the Mars sample tube looks like a lightsaber. I’ve been reaching for my computer screen to see if it will be transported from Mars, since as director of @NASAJPL I’m pretty sure the Force is with me (right?). No joy so far, but I’ll keep trying! https://t.co/bi9cjU2FfA
— Laurie Leshin (@LaurieofMars) December 22, 2022
The tube is the first of a series that Percy will drop down a flat section of Jezero Crater. The tubes are part of the Mars Sample Return, or MSR, mission, which is still under development. MSR is a complex endeavor that will involve collecting samples of Percy from Mars and bringing them back to Earth for close-up study.
NASA hopes the rover will be able to greet the MSR lander when it arrives someday in the future. In case that doesn’t work, samples dropped on the ground will be a backup. MSR will include a pair of small helicopters designed to retrieve the tubes if necessary.
Space imagery from NASA and beyond makes Star Wars feel very real
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Star Wars fans aren’t the only ones seeing a sign of their beloved sci-fi franchise on Mars. Doctor Who fans think the sample tube looks like a sonic screwdriver, the Doctor’s all-purpose tool.
The tube is just the first of 10 planned drops spread over an area wide enough for helicopters to operate safely. This means there will be a lot of lightsaber lookalikes on the red planet. Hey Disney, how about a new series? Star Wars: Mars