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Successful Launch of NASA Mars Rover Equipped with Optical Components of Sigma Koki (NASA)

The Mars 2020 Perseverance mission NASA(National Aeronautics and Space Administration)

We would like to announce a successful launch of NASA’s Mars 2020 exploration rover Perseverance equipped with a remote light sensor SuperCam, which has been installed with 19 optical components manufactured by Sigma Koki Co., Ltd. Sigma Koki’s subsidiaries, OptoSigma Europe and OptoSigma USA have been working in collaboration with the French Laboratory Observatoire de Paris (Paris Observatory) in France, Los Alamos National Laboratories (LANL) in Los Alamos, NM and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, respectively. Nearly (50) percent of the optics onboard the rover’s SuperCam such as mirrors, lenses, and prisms are supplied by the Sigma Koki group, OptoSigma.

Overview

The Mars 2020 rover “Perseverance” was built for NASA’s latest Mars exploration mission.

  • Launched: July 30, 2020
  • Launch Location: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
  • Landing: Feb 18, 2021
  • Landing Site: Jezero Crater, Mars

The rover’s mission

  1. Explore and evaluate the evidence of life, such as ancient microorganisms.
  2. To collect and analyze on-the-spot samples of Martian rocks and soil and send the analysis data to Earth.
  3. To collect those samples, store them in a sample tube, and place them at a sample cache depot.

Optical components supplied by the Sigma Koki group (OptoSigma) have passed a variety of rigorous tests, such as vacuum, temperature, humidity, and heat cycles tests, conducted by external agencies specialized for testing to withstand the operation in special and harsh climatic conditions on Mars, while meeting the advanced optical requirements needed for the Mars exploration. The OptoSigma products proved to be high quality such as high durability and high stability. Utilizing the know-how gained through providing optical components to the Mars rover Perseverance, we will continue to promote the creation of new, high-quality optical components, modules and systems. As a leading company in the optical industry, we will continue to contribute to the development of optical technologies by actively engaged in joint research with industry, academia, and government.

※NASA Science Mars2020Mission:
https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/

※Laboratory Observatoire de Paris:
https://www.observatoiredeparis.psl.eu/?lang=en

※Los Alamos National Laboratories:
https://www.lanl.gov/

※Jet Propulsion Laboratory(JPL):
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/

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