onto the red planet. facebook �*unfriends' australia — the social networking giant blocks access to news media in australia in a row over paying for content. the labour leader proposes british recovery bonds — to help fund the renewal of communities and jobs after the lockdown ends. terrible, terrible house" damp, infestations and leaks — how some of those shielding from covid are living in substandard housing. good evening and welcome to bbc news. scientists say there's been a strong decline in the number of covid infections in england since the latest lockdown began. researchers at imperial college, who have been tracking the pandemic, say infection rates have dropped by two thirds. but there are warnings that virus levels are still high, particularly among the under 25s. the vaccination programme also appears to be having a positive impact on the number of deaths being recorded. but concerns remain about certain groups of people, among them some black and asian communities, who are not taking up the vaccine when offered. here's our medical editor fergus walsh. lockdown is working — draconian restrictions on society mean coronavirus has fewer chances to spread. but that is meant closing schools, shops, pubs, gyms, putting normal life on hold. the latest evidence comes from 87,000 tests sent out to households across england. the survey by imperial college from the fourth to the 13th of february is good at picking up cases among those who don't know they are carrying the virus. the survey found that infections had fallen by two thirds across england in the past month and are down 80% in london. the researchers estimate that infections are having every 15 days, but they warn that prevalence of the virus is still high, with one in 200 people across england thought to be positive — similar to levels seen in september. we know that the prevalence of the virus was much lower last summer, something like ten times lower, and clearly be more people who have the virus, and some of them will not have symptoms and not know they are carrying the virus, the more likely to do is to transmit to other people, so the lower we can get the prevalence, the better. there are still nearly the same number of covid patients in hospital as at the first peak in april last year. but there are now tentative signs that vaccines are beginning to save lives among the over 80s, the first to receive a covid jab. deaths among the over 80s have fallen by 54% since the middle ofjanuary. much of that is due to lockdown, but they are falling faster than in younger age groups, where they are down 44%. as more and more people get vaccinated, that should start bringing down cases as well as deaths. at the minute, the over 70s, they only make up about 10% of cases but over 80% of deaths. as we start vaccinating younger people, that effect we should also see more and more in cases. but there are concerns about the lower take—up of vaccines among black, asian and minority ethnic communities. at this vaccination centre in east london, staff say some people book for a vaccine and are not turning up. you don't have to be scared about it. before you know about it, the needle is in and it is out. some people are so scared, but they say, is that all? and i say, yes that is all, we are here to help you. you may not always trust - what you hear and what you see, but you can trust the vaccine. a video urging people from bame communities to get the vaccine will be shown across commercial television channels tonight, and the nhs plans to distribute leaflets in 20 different languages, which will try to dispel myths about the vaccine. they vaccines do not contain animal products or foetal products, they do not affect your fertility, so if you are offered the vaccine, please take it up, because that is what will keep you safe. borisjohnson will set out a road map for easing restrictions on england on monday and has promised a cautious approach that will focus on data and not dates. the latest government figures show 12,057 new infections recorded in the latest 24—hour period. an average of 12,081; new cases were recorded per day in the last week. just over 20 thousand people are in hospital with coronavirus across the uk in the last 2a hours, a54 deaths have been recorded , that's people who died within 28 days of a positive covid test 5)on average, 551 deaths were announced every day in the past week. the total number of people who've died is 119,387. the number of people given their first dose of one of the three approved covid—19 vaccines in the latest 2a hour period is more than a82 thousand. taking the total who've now had theirfirstjab, to nearly 16 and half million people. the number of new cases and deaths may be falling but northern ireland has announced that it is extending its lockdown until april first. some school children will go back to the classroom on march eighth. but for most — school won't return until after the easter holidays. chris page has more. the first minister here at stormont, arlene foster, used a motoring metaphor, actually. she said the devolved government wanted to eventually leave lockdown in the rear—view mirror. in other words, they want to this current period of restrictions to be the last. ministers are stressing that although the coronavirus statistics in this part of the uk are moving in the right direction, while the situation in the health service is still very serious, for example, there are still now more people in hospital with covid—19 than was the case at the peak of the first wave back in spring of last year. so lockdown has been extended from the 5th of march until the 1st of april, that's just before the easter holiday weekend. there will be some relaxations, though, on monday the 8th of march. the number of people allowed to meet outdoors will be increased from six to ten, to two households, some retailers will allowed to operate click and collect services for clothes, for baby equipment, for electrical items. perhaps the most significant change for thousands of families here, pupils in the first three years of primary school will go back to the classroom. a fortnight after that on the 22nd of march, teenagers in the last three years of post primary schools who will be facing important qualifications, they too will go back to face learning. so ministers have been trying to give people a degree of hope, i think, while tempering it with a lot of caution. it's also emerged today that the devolved government will publish its exit strategy on the 1st of march, but that won't include any firm dates for different sectors of the economy reopening. mrs foster saying that the government wants to be driven by data and not by dates. it's called perseverance — and let's hope it lives up to its name. after seven months in space — nasa's rover will attempt to land on the surface of mars in the next hour. only half of the missions to mars have been successful so far. this one — will have to slow from the speed of a bullet to a walking pace if it is going to land safely on the red planet. if it makes it — its mission is to scour a crater that was once a vast lake — to look for signs of past life. our science correspondent rebecca morelle has more. nasa calls it the seven minutes of terror. an approach to mars at 12,000mph, then, just at the right moment... ..a parachute opens, dramatically slowing it down before a complex landing system brings the perseverance rover down to the ground. that's the plan — but only half of mars landings have worked. it is not a guaranteed success. it is the time in the mission with the highest concentrated risk. it's certainly a nailbiter, and they don't call it seven minutes of terror for nothing, because we're certainly waiting to hear back those words, "touchdown confirmed," that's what we're waiting to hear. this mission is all about finding signs of life, the best place to do that is here, the jezero crater. today, it's dry and dusty, but billions of years ago it was a huge lake, and you can clearly see a river running into it. this gives you an idea of what it would have looked like. if we zoom in a bit more, these green areas on the edge of the crater were once beeches on the lake shore, and the hope is any microscopic creatures that once lived there are still preserved. perseverance is the most advanced rover that nasa has ever built, and it's jam—packed with instruments. its robotic arm is equipped with a drill to collect rock samples. so what forms of life could they contain? i am not talking about martian little green men, probably not even fish. we are looking for microbial life, or maybe microbes that have made a little mat or a slime such that you might find on the bottom of a pond. those are the types of things that are likely to... well, they did exist on earth 3.5 billion years ago. the question is, did they exist on mars at the bottom of lakes? for the first time, nasa will also be testing a mini mars helicopter to provide a new bird's—eye view of the planet. and back on the ground, the rover will store some of the rocks — a future mission will bring them back to earth, and some will be heading to the uk. these will be the most precious samples that we have on earth, the most exciting, and scientists around the world will be absolutely fighting and clamouring to study them. this mission provides our best chance to finally answer whether life existed on mars. first, though, nasa needs to get it rover safely down. there are some nerve—racking hours ahead. rebecca morelle, bbc news. australia's prime minister says his country won't be intimidated by facebook, in a row about news coverage on the social media platform. australia is asking tech companies to pay for content which is reposted from other news outlets. now facebook has blocked users in the country from viewing news content. shaimaa khalil reports from sydney. this is what australians woke up to. empty news feeds on their facebook pages, after the platform blocked all local and international media outlets — a dramatic escalation in a continued dispute with the government over paying for news content. the ban did not only target news. it also denied australians access to the pages of many key government agencies, including health departments and the bureau of meteorology. the company later conceded that some of these pages were inadvertently caught in the block and that it will restore them. i do use facebook. it seems to be a catch all, and i can get all of my news in the one spot, so it will really impact me. they're so big and so widely used by australians that they'lljust... people willjust revolt against it. the government was also swift to react. this is an assault on a sovereign nation, it is an assault _ on people's freedom, - and in particular it is an utter abuse of big technology's market . power and control over technology. the prime minister, scott morrison, slammed the social media company's action as arrogant and disappointing. under the proposed legislation, tech giants will be forced to enter into payment negotiations with news outlets over payment for content that appears on their platforms, and if they can't agree, a government arbitrator would get involved. but facebook has criticised the law, saying it doesn't reflect how the internet works, and unfairly penalises it for content it didn't ask for. this fallout is about facebook making a point. many are watching this closely, and the social media giant knows that if it starts paying for news content here in australia, other nations could make similar demands. some experts have described it as anti—democratic and a dangerous turn of events. and while facebook asserts its power and influence with this move, the fear is that it may also do its reputation some serious damage. shaimaa khalil, bbc news, sydney. sir keir starmer has set out his vision for the uk — pledging a "moral crusade" to address inequalities exposed by coronavirus. the labour leader also proposed a new bond for savers, allowing millions to invest in the uk's recovery from the pandemic. our deputy political editor vicki young reports he's trying to inspire a party that has got used to being rejected by voters, in a political landscape dominated by a pandemic. labour members can only watch from a distance as sia keir starmer lays out his vision from an empty room. we can go back to the same insecure and unequal economy that has been so cruelly exposed by the virus. we can seize the moment and go forward to a future that will look utterly unlike the past. he said coronavirus had proved the case for government to play a big role in managing the economy, but working alongside business, not attacking it. if we are honest, for too long labour has failed to realise the only way to deliver social justice and equality is through a strong partnership with businesses. under my leadership, that mindset will change. one new policy idea is a british recovery bond, offering people a savings account with the government. the cash raised would be used to get the country back on its feet after the pandemic. there are people who kept theirjobs who have been able to save money. how does that help those who haven't kept theirjobs, who really are struggling to make ends meet? the bond provides a way for people to invest in the future of their country in a secure way, and releases money for infrastructure projects. obviously for those that haven't been able to save, there are other things i said this morning about universal credit, about the pay for key workers. so it is not either or, it is both. you have been leader for around ten months, how do you think it has gone? a year ago in the leadership race, people were saying to me, "is the labour party even going to exist in the future?" now the question i'm facing is, when will you be ready to win a general election? some are calling on the labour leader to be bolder. he says rightly we cannot go back to normal, but what is normal is not acceptable and we need proper guidance and proper policy to move forward. as of yet we haven't received that. it is a really good start from keir starmer in my view. i get why people are saying we should go further but it sets out how things would be differently if he was prime minister. you can talk about all the policies you like, but if they are not- delivered by a credible leadership that people can believe can - actually deliver them, - then they won't go down well with the public. and do you think he has managed to get that impression across? yes, most definitely. kier starmer says a labour government would actively support the economy. conservatives point out they have just spent almost £300 million doing just that. it shows how difficult it is being distinctive as opposition leader during a national emergency. elections across the uk in may will be the first test of whether voters like what they have heard so far. vicki young, bbc news, westminster. sienna rodgers, is the editor of labour—list, a news website which is supportive of, but independent of, the labour party. shejoins us live from north west london. it was meant to arrive rail the beverage reforms which laid the foundation of the nhs and their welfare state. what we heard about was a saving bond that ultimately helps those people who kept their jobs and were able to put money aside. it jobs and were able to put money aside. . , , ., , ., jobs and were able to put money aside. ., , .,, ., .y jobs and were able to put money aside. , ., .y , aside. it was billed as a policy bit so there were _ aside. it was billed as a policy bit so there were some _ aside. it was billed as a policy bit so there were some reports - aside. it was billed as a policy bit so there were some reports it. aside. it was billed as a policy bit| so there were some reports it was going to be fat. it was not a policy blitz. that's an exaggeration. we have got to the new policies from keir starmer today. have got to the new policies from keir starmertoday. he have got to the new policies from keir starmer today. he repeated the existing labour policies. things like not cutting universal credit in april as people asking the government is planning to do. things like preventing council tax rate is. he said he would protect families by doing those things and he had this to a new policies and the covid—19 recovery bonds. that british bond. the intention was to evoke patriotism, talking about britain. it was also to support and recognise that the argument that labour is making is richie singh axioms all the people who were fortunate enough to save during the pandemic would immediatelyjust go out and spend that. and that will help drive demand in the economy once the economy starts to recover from the covid—19 crisis and they will go out and make that decision. i think labour is saying that is not the case that people are really concerned about security at the moment and a lot of people who save during the pandemic perhaps younger people in their 20s who have never been able to save before. what people in their 20s who have never been able to save before. what about the --eole been able to save before. what about the peeple who _ been able to save before. what about the people who have _ been able to save before. what about the people who have not _ been able to save before. what about the people who have not been - been able to save before. what about the people who have not been able i been able to save before. what aboutj the people who have not been able to save who now have no income and who are really struggling?— are really struggling? completely. there has to _ are really struggling? completely. there has to be _ are really struggling? completely. there has to be a _ are really struggling? completely. there has to be a focus _ are really struggling? completely. there has to be a focus on - are really struggling? completely. there has to be a focus on them. l are really struggling? completely. there has to be a focus on them. i think he did dedicate even more time in his speech to those people and addressing those problems. it'sjust that they were not new policies to address that. i think he is talking about council tax rate is the bap cut for hospitality and leisure and renewing the furlough scheme and all of those things, he was talking about it's just that labour has already announced these policies and this is kind of a problem for the opposition party at the moment. fine opposition party at the moment. one ofthe opposition party at the moment. one of the big problems is to differentiate yourself during a national crisis when you have got the conservatives. they spent nearly £300 billion, standing and spending. they have their themselves enough in order to win back supporters. the main order to win back supporters. jj—ug main challenge, everyone order to win back supporters. jj—ug main challedqe, everyone wants to main challenge, everyone wants to hear about covid—19 and what the new opposition be there is talking about with his policies. i think this was the start and the second stage of keir starmer�*s leadership plan. the first stage was about scrutinising the government and the handling of the government and the handling of the pandemic and sorting of the party internally. and the second stage has just started with a speech today. he will be setting out more policy and my vision for the future but i think this was a sound basis, it was not as exciting as people thought it was going to be but i think it was a good start. thank you so much for— think it was a good start. thank you so much for your _ think it was a good start. thank you so much for your time. _ some people in temporary or privately rented accommodation are living in conditions that are utterly shameful — that's according to a former government adviser on homelessness. a bbc news investigation found people vulnerable to covid — shielding in homes with frequent leaks, widespread damp and even rodents living in a kitchen ceiling. the government says reducing the number of households in temporary accommodation is a priority. rianna croxford reports. see that? terrible. inside some of the uk's most inadequate housing. jesus christ! it's just mentally destroying me, having to stay in such disgusting circumstances. we hear from those shielding... how have you found it being indoors? horrible. i feel trapped. still not fixed. ..stuck inside damp and cramped homes, some even alongside rodents. for six months, we've been following the stories of those vulnerable to coronavirus living in temporary accommodation or privately rented homes. i'm not even able to have my exercise because i'm too worried of catching it. vicky suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema. last summer, problems with damp took weeks to be fixed and culminated in this leak from her bedroom ceiling. fixing the doors properly, getting rid of the rats that are the size of cats... theyjust fob us all off, so we feel like we don't exist in a way. the property manager says all repairs have been completed. this is a terrible house. this man lives in the same block. he says there have been holes in the ceiling of his flat since may last year and frequent lea ks. he even showed us footage of rodents living in the ceiling. his repairs have now been made. the number of households in temporary accommodation is nearly double that of ten years ago. half of those living in these homes are children. sarah has multiple sclerosis, which also makes her vulnerable to coronavirus. during the pandemic, she's faced a water leak and damp problems, but remained in the property throughout, despite the council themselves deeming it unsuitable in 2019. i've got a hole in my bathroom in the ceiling, where the light should be. over a year. sometimes i trip going to the bathroom to go to use the toilet, no light. i definitely feel forgotten because i'm still here, 15 months on. the council says it's committed to helping sarah find a new home, but there's a chronic shortage of affordable housing. it's utterly shameful. nobody should be living in those conditions in the united kingdom. dame louise casey has advised labour and conservative government on homelessness. we cannot allow landlords to make money with people living with rodents in their kitchens. i'm just hoping the government watches that and thinks, "yeah, we need to do a betterjob here." the government says reducing the number of households in temporary accommodation is a priority. rianna croxford, bbc news. u—roy, the pioneering reggae and dancehall artist, has died at the age of 78. he was born ewart beckford injones town, jamaica and was also known as daddy u—roy or the originator. he was renowned as a pioneer of the toasting vocal style in reggae and dancehall, and was a key figure in the popular development ofjamaican music in the 1970s. u—roy was awarded the order of distinction by the jamaican government in 2007 for his contribution to music. have a special programme on the mars mission. he will be taking you through this at the minutes of terror. i will be back later with the papers. let us bring you up—to—date with all the sports for a full round up. the opening legs in the last 32 of the europa league are being played this evening with manchester united among the early winners with a 4—0 victory over real sociedad. the match was being played in turin due to covid restrictions, and it seemed to suit united as bruno fernandes grabbed a double, which was added to by marcus rashford with this lovely finish into the bottom corner before danieljames picked up a fourth late on. tottenham cruised through their first leg against austrian side wolfsberger — a match played in budapest. gareth bale set up the first and then scored the second himself lucas moura then scored this brilliant solo goal to make it 3—0 at half time. wolfsberger pulled one back before vinicius scored a fourth for spurs late on. elsewhere in the early games leicester city played out a goalless draw against slavia prague in the czech republic while arsenal who are playing benfica in rome and rangers are away to anderlecht. for all the latest head to the bbc sport website it was a tearful farewell for serena williams at this yea r�*s australian open. she was beaten in straight sets byjapan�*s naomi osaka in the semi—finals. so the 39 year old's bid to equal margaret court's record of 2a grand slam singles titles has to wait a little longer. the loss led to speculation about her future — and whether it could be the last time williams will appear at the tournament in melbourne. i don't know if i would tell anyone. considering how well you played to get to the stage, why do you feel was a just one of those bad days at the office? i was a just one of those bad days at the office? ., �* ~ ., �* ., williams' conquerer osaka, will meet jennifer brady in saturday's final while in the men's final novak djokovic will line up against either daniil medvedev or stefanos tsitsipas on sunday. good evening. as we move out if thursday into friday we are going to see a west east divide developing with our weather. we keep some clear skies across the central and eastern half of the uk and that's going to allow the temperatures to fall away by contrast cloud wind and rain gathers out to the west. yes, low single figures, a chilly start and that's where we'll see the best of the drier weather particularly across eastern england into the afternoon. the rain eventually moving into eastern scotland. it will always be heavy the further west you are, accompanied by gale force gusts of winds as well. so that is going to make it feel pretty miserable, i'm afraid. if you're sat underneath the cloud, the wind and the rain. the best of the dry weather further east and temperatures will peak through friday afternoon between eight and 11 celsius. into the weekend, we keep that west, east divide for saturday. it stays unsettled out to the west but increasingly milder with more sunshine into the east and it'll be a quieter day for all on sunday. take care. hello, welcome to the programme. i am christian fraser in london, and katty kay is in washington. and we are counting down over this next half hour, to what we hope — will be another giant step towards a future manned mission to mars. these are the live pictures from the nasa control room where very shortly a seven month mission to the red planet will come to an end, everyone in that room hoping for the safe touchdown of a new rover on the martian surface. the course —— of course, because of covid, there are less people than normally. we will be keeping an eye on the control room. only half of the missions to mars are successful and this rover, called perseverence, is bigger than anything nasa has tried to land before. to do it safely, the spacecraft that's carrying it will have slowed from the speed of a rifle bullet, to a walking pace in just seven minutes. it is going to be a tense, thrilling half hour. we will bring you all the reaction which will culminate, fingers crossed, with confirmation of a safe landing around five minutes to nine gmt this evening, with pictures hopefully from the surface. the rover will be set down close to a crater, that scientists believe was where an ancient river flowed into a lake. it will spend the next martian year looking for past life. that's a bit shy of two years on earth. on board the rover is a drill to collect rocks, and tools to take samples, which will be stored and returned to earth in a future mission. also on board, and this is very cool, is a small helicopter. the nasa scientists will attempt to fly in the thin martian airfor the first time. our science correspondent rebecca morelle has more. nasa calls it the seven minutes of terror. an approach to mars at 12,000mph, then, just at the right moment... ..a parachute opens, dramatically slowing it down before a complex landing system brings the perseverance rover down to the ground. that's the plan — but only half of mars landings have worked. it is not a guaranteed success. it is the time in the mission with the highest concentrated risk. it's certainly a nailbiter, and they don't call it seven minutes of terror for nothing, because we're certainly waiting to hear back those words, "touchdown confirmed," that's what we're waiting to hear. this mission is all about finding signs of life, the best place to do that is here, the jezero crater. today, it's dry and dusty, but billions of years ago it was a huge lake, and you can clearly see a river running into it. this gives you an idea of what it would have looked like. if we zoom in a bit more, these green areas on the edge of the crater were once beeches on the lake shore, and the hope is any microscopic creatures that once lived there are still preserved. perseverance is the most advanced rover that nasa has ever built, and it's jam—packed with instruments. its robotic arm is equipped with a drill to collect rock samples. so what forms of life could they contain? i am not talking about martian little green men, probably not even fish. we are looking for microbial life, or maybe microbes that have made a little mat or a slime such that you might find on the bottom of a pond. those are the types of things that are likely to... well, they did exist on earth 3.5 billion years ago. the question is, did they exist on mars at the bottom of lakes? for the first time, nasa will also be testing a mini mars helicopter to provide a new bird's—eye view of the planet. and back on the ground, the rover will store some of the rocks — a future mission will bring them back to earth, and some will be heading to the uk. these will be the most precious samples that we have on earth, the most exciting, and scientists around the world will be absolutely fighting and clamouring to study them. this mission provides our best chance to finally answer whether life existed on mars. first, though, nasa needs to get it rover safely down. there are some nerve—racking hours ahead. rebecca morelle, bbc news. yeah, and we thought ourjob was nerve—racking. really exciting stuff and we are just minutes away from knowing whether the mission will be succesfull. one person who will be really feeling the tension at this moment is dr lori glaze the planetary science division director at nasa — to you and me that means she's in charge of this mission. she's currently somewhere amongst that group of people we see calling the shots, and she very kindly took a monent out earlier to tell me about the mission. so what's really interesting is, this is going to be the most precise landing we have ever executed. and i will explain that injust a moment, but we landed successfully eight times on the surface of mars. this will be our ninth landing. it will be our fifth rover to land on mars. but this is extremely challenging, and all our prior missions have had much larger landing areas they were trying to hit. but this particular location that we are going has a lot of hazards. so we have really tried to narrow that down. and so what we have done is to bring in some new technologies, you know, we are still coming into the top of the atmosphere the same way, but then we have something that we call our range trigger that is keeping track of how long it's been since we left the spacecraft and since we came into the top of the atmosphere. and that helps us time precisely more precisely when we deploy the parachute. and you're coming in horizontally, but when you deploy the parachute it then starts to fall vertically. and so we timed out so we are more or less of it spot we want to be, and then we have another technology that we are using called terrain relative navigation which is where we are looking, we are taking images all the way down and we are comparing those pictures in real—time autonomously to maps that we have on board the spacecraft, onboard the rover. so i imagine then that every minute of your waking day for the last seven months has been about this moment, and it comes down to these terrifying seven minutes as it descends to the martian surface. what is it like in the nasa control room at that moment? oh, my goodness, that seven minutes of terror is absolutely, you know, it's nail—biting, you are so anxious just watching all the data come in. i was here for the insight landing back in 2018, and it was that same seven minutes of terror. and it'sjust, you know you just can't even imagine how anxious you are. presumably, the things that you are learning in this mission eventually tiers up for that first manned mission. absolutely. yes, there is a lot of what we are going to be working on on this mission is helping us feed forward to human exploration. we are doing a lot of great science on this mission. we will be doing science in the field while we are out there. we are also going to be collecting samples that will be coming back to earth on a future mars sample return mission. but we have lots of technologies that we are demonstrating that are going to help us prepare for human exploration. that terrain relative navigation, that ability to pinpoint land as one of those technologies. we also have an experiment on board called moxie, it's a mars oxygen experiment. it's got more letters in there, but that's basically taking the carbon dioxide atmosphere and converting it into breathable oxygen. with this mission, what we are really focused on is looking for evidence of past life that may have been there about three and half billion years ago, but the time when life emerged on earth. and that's really the key focus of this mission is that astrobiology, trying to understand that environment and how it could support life and whether or not life actually did come to be on mars several billion years ago. what purpose does it serve for us? that's an interesting question. let me think about how you've posed about. i think the implication, really, here isjust the compelling nature of, are we alone in the universe? and that's really, you know, we have yet to identify anywhere else in the universe that life has actually taken hold. but within this location on mars, this particular location where we know that there was standing water present for a long period of time, about three and half billion years ago, and it was sustained long enough that a river flowed in and deposited all its sediments into a river delta. they had all the right conditions. it was warm enough, it was wet enough, the organic molecules were present on mars at that time, just the way they were on earth. and so as we know earth formed about that time, formed life about that time, did it happenjust because we have that environment, was life able to take hold on mars? and to me, that's an incredibly important question to understand whether or not if you have the right ingredients, does thisjust happen, or is there some other key ingredient that we are not aware of? doctor laurie glazer, very important day for her. she was telling me. she must be stressed at the moment. as well as focusing on this, she is already planning and fundraising for the mission in 2026 to go to mars to collect these samples that this rover will be drilling over, we hope, over the next few weeks. at pressure, i mean, if we get it wrong, they record over it, if they get it wrong from it's a multibillion—dollar mistake. i get it wrong from it's a multibillion-dollar mistake. i know. seven years — multibillion-dollar mistake. i know. seven years in _ multibillion-dollar mistake. i know. seven years in the _ multibillion-dollar mistake. i know. seven years in the planning, - multibillion-dollar mistake. i know. | seven years in the planning, another 11 years to bring those rocks back again. you know, this is an incredible mission that they are on. we can speak to the bbc�*s science correspondent, jonathan amos. jonathan i want to pick up on the conversation that we heard just there with lori about the crater. tell us more about that. because at the moment, it is dry as a bone where the mars rover is landing, but they do hope that this could be the spot on mars that could give us some indication of whether life has been sustained on the planet at some point. sustained on the planet at some oint. . sustained on the planet at some oint, ., ., , , sustained on the planet at some oint. . ., , , , . ., point. yeah, absolutely. this crater is about 45 — point. yeah, absolutely. this crater is about 45 km _ point. yeah, absolutely. this crater is about 45 km across _ point. yeah, absolutely. this crater is about 45 km acrossjust - point. yeah, absolutely. this crater is about 45 km acrossjust north - point. yeah, absolutely. this crater is about 45 km acrossjust north of| is about 45 km across just north of the equaton — is about 45 km across just north of the equator. you can tell on satellite _ the equator. you can tell on satellite images, a long time ago it must've _ satellite images, a long time ago it must've held you can see in the western— must've held you can see in the western part of the crater commute can see _ western part of the crater commute can see where river has flowed in. you can_ can see where river has flowed in. you can see — can see where river has flowed in. you can see adult outcome if you've .ot you can see adult outcome if you've got there _ you can see adult outcome if you've got there today, you know in asia, you can _ got there today, you know in asia, you can see — got there today, you know in asia, you can see how the river meanders and it— you can see how the river meanders and it drops— you can see how the river meanders and it drops sediment. you get a formation— and it drops sediment. you get a formation that is very recognisable. and you _ formation that is very recognisable. and you can— formation that is very recognisable. and you can see that in the satellite _ and you can see that in the satellite images. the great hope is that trapped within those sediments are bio _ that trapped within those sediments are bio signatures, traces of past life on— are bio signatures, traces of past life on biology, and the job here of perseverance when it lands, after it lands _ perseverance when it lands, after it lands is _ perseverance when it lands, after it lands is to — perseverance when it lands, after it lands is to go and drill into that delta _ lands is to go and drill into that delta and — lands is to go and drill into that delta and see what it can find. everybody is nervous. i'm anxious, i've everybody is nervous. i'm anxious, i've got— everybody is nervous. i'm anxious, i've got this — everybody is nervous. i'm anxious, i've got this feeling in my stomach 'ust i've got this feeling in my stomach just at— i've got this feeling in my stomach just at the — i've got this feeling in my stomach just at the moment, which is not very— just at the moment, which is not very pleasant, but you know those statistics, — very pleasant, but you know those statistics, somebody has got to be bold, _ statistics, somebody has got to be bold. and — statistics, somebody has got to be bold, and it's going to be me. yes, i bold, and it's going to be me. yes, i know. _ bold, and it's going to be me. yes, i know. you — bold, and it's going to be me. yes, i know, you know, almost half of all missions— i know, you know, almost half of all missions to — i know, you know, almost half of all missions to mars have failed. but who has— missions to mars have failed. but who has succeeded chris mike nassau. they've _ who has succeeded chris mike nassau. they've tried nine times. they've succeeded — they've tried nine times. they've succeeded eight. their last five attempts— succeeded eight. their last five attempts all successes. you have to id attempts all successes. you have to go back— attempts all successes. you have to go back to _ attempts all successes. you have to go back to 99 for the last time they failed _ go back to 99 for the last time they failed at _ go back to 99 for the last time they failed at mars. they've used this system, — failed at mars. they've used this system, they used it in 2012 to get down, _ system, they used it in 2012 to get down, it— system, they used it in 2012 to get down, it worked a treat. so i, you know, _ down, it worked a treat. so i, you know, somebody has got to college. i think are _ know, somebody has got to college. i think are going to do it. and know, somebody has got to college. i think are going to do it.— think are going to do it. and this rover compared _ think are going to do it. and this rover compared to _ think are going to do it. and this rover compared to previous - think are going to do it. and this i rover compared to previous rovers, jonathan, bigger more complicated, more sophisticated, is this the one thenif more sophisticated, is this the one then if the landing succeeds, which we will know within the next 20 minutes or so, is this the one that could bring us back the most valuable information so far, do you think? ~ , y valuable information so far, do you think? ~ , , ., valuable information so far, do you think? ~ , ., ~ ., ., think? absolutely. you know, we have sent a whole — think? absolutely. you know, we have sent a whole series _ think? absolutely. you know, we have sent a whole series of _ think? absolutely. you know, we have sent a whole series of instruments - sent a whole series of instruments down _ sent a whole series of instruments down the — sent a whole series of instruments down the years to mars. you know, it was really _ down the years to mars. you know, it was really in — down the years to mars. you know, it was really in the 19705 when the amerloans— was really in the 19705 when the americans fir5t was really in the 19705 when the americans first went with the viking landers. _ americans first went with the viking lander5, they asked that specific question. — landers, they asked that specific question, is there life on mars? they— question, is there life on mars? they got— question, is there life on mars? they got some interesting data back. it they got some interesting data back. it was _ they got some interesting data back. it was quite _ they got some interesting data back. it was quite controversial. we put the question aside until now. this is the _ the question aside until now. this is the first— the question aside until now. this is the first mission since the viking — is the first mission since the viking landers and that the 19705 where _ viking landers and that the 19705 where we — viking landers and that the 19705 where we have asked directly, was there _ where we have asked directly, was there life _ where we have asked directly, was there life on mars? all of the intervening years, the question has been _ intervening years, the question has been was _ intervening years, the question has been was mars habitable? if there was life _ been was mars habitable? if there was life there, what are the conditions right? were they favourable? could you have flourished if you are a microorganism on mars billions of years— microorganism on mars billions of years ago? — microorganism on mars billions of years ago? welcome of those intervening missions have conclusively answered that question, yes, there _ conclusively answered that question, yes, there was water. it was a lot warmor— yes, there was water. it was a lot warmer in — yes, there was water. it was a lot warmer in the past. the chemistry was right — warmer in the past. the chemistry was right. so if there were microorganisms on mars three and have 4— microorganisms on mars three and have 4 billion years ago, they should've _ have 4 billion years ago, they should've flourished. now, the question— should've flourished. now, the question is, can we find evidence of that today? — question is, can we find evidence of that today? on earth come if you look for— that today? on earth come if you look for that evidence commits controversial. people argue about it. controversial. people argue about it so _ controversial. people argue about it~ so will— controversial. people argue about it. so will perseverance show us something — it. so will perseverance show us something that's conclusive? my own view is _ something that's conclusive? my own view is probably we will argue about it. view is probably we will argue about it and _ view is probably we will argue about it. and that's why this mission is going _ it. and that's why this mission is going to — it. and that's why this mission is going to put samples on the ground, and then— going to put samples on the ground, and then in— going to put samples on the ground, and then in the next few years, we are going — and then in the next few years, we are going to— and then in the next few years, we are going to go and fetch them and bring _ are going to go and fetch them and bring them — are going to go and fetch them and bring them back to earth and then try and _ bring them back to earth and then try and answer the question conclusively with all of the sophisticated liberatory tools that we have _ sophisticated liberatory tools that we have here.— sophisticated liberatory tools that we have here. ., ., , ., we have here. jonathan, can we stand back though — we have here. jonathan, can we stand back though and _ we have here. jonathan, can we stand back though and contemplate - we have here. jonathan, can we stand back though and contemplate what. back though and contemplate what they are doing here? 205 million kilometres away, they are aiming for an area which is 45 km2, they are firing it like a bullet, and then they are going to stop it in seven minutes. i mean, that is preposterous when you think about it in those terms. it's bonkers. ., ., , in those terms. it's bonkers. ., ., it's bonkers. so what goes on in the months before _ it's bonkers. so what goes on in the months before a _ it's bonkers. so what goes on in the months before a mission _ it's bonkers. so what goes on in the months before a mission like - it's bonkers. so what goes on in the months before a mission like this, | months before a mission like this, all the mathematical equations. you know this stuff. how do they get it so right? i know this stuff. how do they get it so riuht? ., , so right? i find it remarkable. i mean, so right? i find it remarkable. i mean. the _ so right? i find it remarkable. i mean, the cautious _ so right? i find it remarkable. i mean, the cautious engineer . so right? i find it remarkable. i i mean, the cautious engineer will tell you — mean, the cautious engineer will tell you it's— mean, the cautious engineer will tell you it's maths. you know, when we look— tell you it's maths. you know, when we look at _ tell you it's maths. you know, when we look at this sky crane, this cradle, — we look at this sky crane, this cradle, this— we look at this sky crane, this cradle, this rocket powered crane that they — cradle, this rocket powered crane that they used to put the rubber down _ that they used to put the rubber down on — that they used to put the rubber down on the surface, we think, that's— down on the surface, we think, that's crazy, you know? it's mad. if you think— that's crazy, you know? it's mad. if you think about the sequence that they are _ you think about the sequence that they are going to go through in the next few— they are going to go through in the next few minutes, they have what are called _ next few minutes, they have what are called pyrotechnic devices, so at every _ called pyrotechnic devices, so at every stage of the sequence, they fire one _ every stage of the sequence, they fire one of— every stage of the sequence, they fire one of these devices, and it either— fire one of these devices, and it either separates a piece of hardware, it cuts something. there are more _ hardware, it cuts something. there are more than 70 of these in a sequence _ are more than 70 of these in a sequence. every one of them is a single _ sequence. every one of them is a single point failure. so if it doesn't _ single point failure. so if it doesn't happen, game over. that is the game _ doesn't happen, game over. that is the game that we are in postoperative very difficult. i will come _ postoperative very difficult. i will come back to my point. they have done _ come back to my point. they have done it— come back to my point. they have done it before. they know how to do this. done it before. they know how to do this they— done it before. they know how to do this. they are experts at it. and that's— this. they are experts at it. and that's why— this. they are experts at it. and that's why i _ this. they are experts at it. and that's why i have high confidence in them _ that's why i have high confidence in them. lt— that's why i have high confidence in them. , , ., , that's why i have high confidence in them. , , . , them. it is truly remarkable. look, civen that them. it is truly remarkable. look, given that it's _ them. it is truly remarkable. look, given that it's the _ them. it is truly remarkable. look, given that it's the heaviest - them. it is truly remarkable. look, given that it's the heaviest payloadj given that it's the heaviest payload that they've landed on mars and they are using this technology and lori glaser was telling me that as it's descending, it's also taking pictures of the surface and correcting so that it lands precisely in the right spot. is this bit of it, is this the bit that's really important to sending those manned missions through the atmosphere? mi manned missions through the atmosphere?_ manned missions through the atmoshere? �* ., , . ., ., , atmosphere? all of this technology is useful for — atmosphere? all of this technology is useful for the _ atmosphere? all of this technology is useful for the future. _ atmosphere? all of this technology is useful for the future. i _ is useful for the future. i mentioned bringing the samples back. what to— mentioned bringing the samples back. what to do— mentioned bringing the samples back. what to do that, this is the technology that you need to send, if we sent _ technology that you need to send, if we sent humans, we need to bring the back _ we sent humans, we need to bring the back so _ we sent humans, we need to bring the back. so what perseverance will do is it will— back. so what perseverance will do is it will out — back. so what perseverance will do is it will put some tubes on the ground, — is it will put some tubes on the ground, it _ is it will put some tubes on the ground, it will leave them there for a few— ground, it will leave them there for a few years — ground, it will leave them there for a few years. it will have some interesting rock samples and then there _ interesting rock samples and then there is— interesting rock samples and then there is a — interesting rock samples and then there is a rover which is being made in steven— there is a rover which is being made in steven edge in the united kingdom, and that will be sent to go and pick— kingdom, and that will be sent to go and pick the tubes up. they will take _ and pick the tubes up. they will take the — and pick the tubes up. they will take the tubes then to a rockets, and that— take the tubes then to a rockets, and that rockets will assemble the tubes _ and that rockets will assemble the tubes in _ and that rockets will assemble the tubes in a — and that rockets will assemble the tubes in a football sized object and fire it _ tubes in a football sized object and fire it into— tubes in a football sized object and fire it into space. it will be caught— fire it into space. it will be caught by european satellites in orbit— caught by european satellites in orbit around mars and they will bring _ orbit around mars and they will bring that back, put it in an entry capsule _ bring that back, put it in an entry capsule and it will land in north america — capsule and it will land in north america somewhere. but those same steps. _ america somewhere. but those same steps. you _ america somewhere. but those same steps, you know, going, get in a rocket _ steps, you know, going, get in a rocket to— steps, you know, going, get in a rocket to come home in a big satellite _ rocket to come home in a big satellite or big spacecraft, come home, _ satellite or big spacecraft, come home, entry capsule like apollo, ekact— home, entry capsule like apollo, exact same steps that you would do to hugh _ exact 5ame steps that you would do to hugh to— exact same steps that you would do to hugh to humans. so what you will see in— to hugh to humans. so what you will see in the _ to hugh to humans. so what you will see in the nexts uses kind of like a dress _ see in the nexts uses kind of like a dress rehearsal for people going to mars _ dress rehearsal for people going to mars it— dress rehearsal for people going to mars. it starts here. stay dress rehearsal for people going to mars. it starts here.— mars. it starts here. stay there, jonathan. _ mars. it starts here. stay there, jonathan, because _ mars. it starts here. stay there, jonathan, because we _ mars. it starts here. stay there, jonathan, because we are - mars. it starts here. stay there, - jonathan, because we are approaching that critical moment. so i want to talk people who are joining us through what will unfold during the descent, so get your clocks ready, 0k? at 2048 gmt, the descent, so get your clocks ready, ok? at 2048 gmt, the protective error shall, that's the spaceship around the rover, that will enter the mars atmosphere at a speed of around 19,500 km an hour. it takes some slowing down. and as it is hurtling through the atmosphere at those speeds it heats up — with the friction in the upper atmosphere — to temperatures of around 1,300 c. yes, so then at 20:52 — so four minutes into the descent — a 21 metre parachute will deploy, to slow it down, and the heat shield will then be ejected. and that's where the descent vehicle takes over. it is fitted with retrorockets that will gently lower the rover on 7 nylon cords, from about 20m above the ground. when it has slowed down to 2 km/h and the rover gently touches the surface, then the cords will be severed. and at that point 20:55gmt — seven minutes after the descent began — perseverance hopefully will be safely on the martian surface. the descent vehicle known as skycrane will fly off into the sunset, deposit itself some way away, at a safe distance. let's go back to those live pictures from mission control. you can see they are listening in. let's see if we can hear anything.— we can hear anything. three commenters _ we can hear anything. three commenters per— we can hear anything. three commenters per second - we can hear anything. three commenters per second at i we can hear anything. three - commenters per second at announced of about— commenters per second at announced of about 120 km from the surface of mars _ it is now waiting until it begins feeling — it is now waiting until it begins feeling the atmosphere to slow it down _ feeling the atmosphere to slow it down. once there is enough atmosphere commit will start controlling its path to the landing target _ controlling its path to the landing target lt— controlling its path to the landing taruet. .., , controlling its path to the landing taruet. .. , , controlling its path to the landing taruet. , , ., target. it indicates entry into the atmosphere- _ atmosphere. navigation. atmosphere. navigation i5 atmosphere. - navigation is also atmosphere. — navigation is also confirming that we can— navigation is also confirming that we can see a little bit of that slow down _ we can see a little bit of that slow down of _ we can see a little bit of that slow down of the atmosphere on the perseverance entry capsule. our current _ perseverance entry capsule. our current velocity is about 5.36 km per second — current velocity is about 5.36 km per second and an altitude of about 67 km _ per second and an altitude of about 67 km from — per second and an altitude of about 67 km from the surface. we per second and an altitude of about 67 km from the surface.— 67 km from the surface. we are robabl 67 km from the surface. we are probably seeing _ 67 km from the surface. we are probably seeing a _ 67 km from the surface. we are probably seeing a blackout - 67 km from the surface. we are probably seeing a blackout at i 67 km from the surface. we are i probably seeing a blackout at this point _ point. - completed. we have lost log. indicate - we have lost log. indicate reversall we have lost log. - indicate reversal stop that we have lost log. _ indicate reversal stop that we have indications that perseverance is now performing bank reversals in the atmosphere. these are the steps in order to control its max speed to the landing target. perseverance has just passed through the point of maximum deceleration and has indicated that it felt approximately ten earth jesus indicated that it felt approximately ten earthjesus of deceleration. it has logged again. indicating reversal. time to complete. we met we saw it small outage of the mars reconnaissance orbiter during that phase, likely caused by the present blackouts. perseverance is still continuing to perform bank reversals in the atmosphere to control its distance to the landing targets. indicating reversal.— distance to the landing targets. indicating reversal. control range -1. 9 indicating reversal. control range 4-9 plumbers — indicating reversal. control range -1.9 plumbers come _ indicating reversal. control range -1.9 plumbers come across - indicating reversal. control range| -1.9 plumbers come across range indicating reversal. control range i -1.9 plumbers come across range -2 —1.9 plumbers come across range —2 .4 —1.9 plumbers come across range —2 ~4 km~ _ —1.9 plumbers come across range —2 .4 km. perseverance i5 —1.9 plumbers come across range —2 .4 km. perseverance is going about one km _ .4 km. perseverance is going about one km per— .4 km. perseverance is going about one km per second at an altitude of about— one km per second at an altitude of about 16 _ one km per second at an altitude of about 16 plumbers from the surface of mars _ about 16 plumbers from the surface of mars. we have entered heading alignments, which means perseverance i5 alignments, which means perseverance is no longer— alignments, which means perseverance is no longer trying to control the distance — is no longer trying to control the distance to mars, but to the target on mars, _ distance to mars, but to the target on mars, but instead is flying straight — on mars, but instead is flying straight to the target. let on mars, but instead is flying straight to the target. let me 'ust exand straight to the target. let me 'ust expend you — straight to the target. let me 'ust expend you guys i straight to the target. let me 'ust expand you guys what is i straight to the target. let me just expand you guys what is going i straight to the target. let me just expand you guys what is going on | straight to the target. let me just i expand you guys what is going on at the moment, we are looking at a simulation of how nasa thinks the landing is proceeding at the moment. they are getting a small amount of information back from the probe. that's coming back two ways, getting some tones from the vehicle itself, which has been picked up by antennas here on earth. they are also getting a wider telemetry feed that's being bounced off a satellite. you keep hearing the reference to mro, that's the mars reconnaissance orbiter. they are going down, as you see on the left—hand side of your screen here, the various steps in landing. the woman's boys that we keep hearing, that is swatting mohan. she is the deputy in charge of this particular event that we are watching. she is sitting next to a chap called alan who is in charge. at its wadi's voice that we will hear all the way down. she is the one that will tell us whether we are one that will tell us whether we are on the ground or not. navigation has confirmed that the parachute has deployed and we are seeing significant deceleration in the velocity, our current velocity is 403 metres per second at an altitude of about 12 columbus —— kilometres from the surface of mars. heat shield's up.— heat shield's up. perseverance has now slowed — heat shield's up. perseverance has now slowed to _ heat shield's up. perseverance has now slowed to subsonic _ heat shield's up. perseverance has now slowed to subsonic speeds - heat shield's up. perseverance has| now slowed to subsonic speeds and the heat shield has been separated. this allows both the radar and cameras to get their first look at the surface. current velocity is 145 metres per second at an altitude of about ten km —— nine and have kilometres above the surface. —— nine and a half kilometres above the surface. velocity solution 3.3 metres per second, — velocity solution 3.3 metres per second, altitude 7.4 km. now— second, altitude 7.4 km. now has— second, altitude 7.4 km. now has radar lock on the ground, current velocity is about 100 metres per second, current velocity is about 100 metres persecond, 6.6 current velocity is about 100 metres per second, 6.6 km from the surface of mars. �* ~ ,, of mars. applause perseverance - of mars. applause perseverance is - of mars. applause - perseverance is continuing to descend on the parachute. we are coming up on the initialisation of terrain relative navigation and subsequently the timing of the landing engines. our current velocity is about 90 metres per second at an altitude of 4.2 km. we have confirmation that the landing system has produced a valid solution in part of navigation. tim —— timing of the landing engine. 83 metres per second at about 2.6 km from the surface of mars. confirmation that the shell has separated. we are currently performing the divert manoeuvre, current velocity is run 75 metres per second at an altitude of about a kilometre off the surface of mars. clearing 50, bravo. brute kilometre off the surface of mars. clearing 50, bravo.— clearing 50, bravo. we have completed — clearing 50, bravo. we have completed our _ clearing 50, bravo. we have completed our terrain - clearing 50, bravo. we have - completed our terrain navigation, current speed is about 30 metres per second, altitude of about 300 metres off the surface of mars. quantum velocity 40, altitude. we have started our velocity which means we are conducting a skype plane rent —— manoeuvre. we have lost it direct. telemark sky manoeuvre — we have lost it direct. telemark sky manoeuvre has started. 20 metres. getting signals from mro. surfaces— getting signals from mro. surfaces good. _ getting signals from mro. surfaces good. touchdownj getting signals from mro. _ surfaces good. touchdown confirmed. applause _ applause perseverance has lain safely on mars, — perseverance has lain safely on mars, ready to seek for evidence of past life _ past life. i - past life. i love a man so pest ttte. — i love a man so invested in his work. what you couldn't see there was jonathan punching work. what you couldn't see there wasjonathan punching the air at that moment that it touched down. he loves it, look at him. that was textbook, wasn't it, jonathan? it was absolutely perfect. it really was _ was absolutely perfect. it really was you — was absolutely perfect. it really was. you know, there was a lot of acronyms — was. you know, there was a lot of acronyms in — was. you know, there was a lot of acronyms in their which only sort of geeks _ acronyms in their which only sort of geeks like — acronyms in their which only sort of geeks like myself really understand, but you _ geeks like myself really understand, but you know, there were moments when _ but you know, there were moments when it— but you know, there were moments when it was— but you know, there were moments when it was on the surface, and they had to— when it was on the surface, and they had to wait, — when it was on the surface, and they had to wait, you know, i spoke to you about — had to wait, you know, i spoke to you about those pyrotechnics, didn't die, about _ you about those pyrotechnics, didn't die, about how they have to cut them _ die, about how they have to cut them the _ die, about how they have to cut them. the last pyrotechnics that fire cut — them. the last pyrotechnics that fire cut the cables and they have to be sure _ fire cut the cables and they have to be sure that they've cut. that it doesn't — be sure that they've cut. that it doesn't drag the rover away, because those _ doesn't drag the rover away, because those cables weren't caulked, and so you heard _ those cables weren't caulked, and so you heard them say, rim use stable, that you heard them 5ay, rim use stable, that meant— you heard them say, rim use stable, that meant the rover wasn't moving. uhf was _ that meant the rover wasn't moving. uhf was stable, that meant that the skype _ uhf was stable, that meant that the skype plane hadn't crashed down on top -- _ skype plane hadn't crashed down on top -- sky— skype plane hadn't crashed down on top —— sky crane. so once they had heard _ top —— sky crane. so once they had heard all— top —— sky crane. so once they had heard all of— top —— sky crane. so once they had heard all of that waited a few seconds _ heard all of that waited a few seconds and then declared it, touchdown confirmed. absolutely beautiful. we touchdown confirmed. absolutely beautiful. . ., touchdown confirmed. absolutely beautiful. ., ., . touchdown confirmed. absolutely beautiful. ., ., . ., , beautiful. we have to reflect on is welcome to _ beautiful. we have to reflect on is welcome to this _ beautiful. we have to reflect on is welcome to this assumption - welcome to this assumption international efforts, we are looking at the control room there at nasa, but when that parachute deployed, there was a little team in tiverton, in devon, that were jumping forjoy, a small company there called heathcote fabrics, and they make parachutes from lace and silk, and they have been making parachute since the second world war, and they now make the parachute for this rover to descend onto the martian surface. quite extraordinary, really, and little tips like that all around the world that have contributed to this. can ijustjump in, because we do have some breaking news apart from the fact that perseverance has landed on mars, the rover has tweeted already. "don't act "i'm safe on mars, perseverance will get you anywhere. hashtag countdown to mars." ., �* , you anywhere. hashtag countdown to mars." . �*, . . ~' you anywhere. hashtag countdown to mars.“ . �*, . . ~ ., mars." that's great. talk to me about those _ mars." that's great. talk to me about those teams. _ mars." that's great. talk to me about those teams. who - mars." that's great. talk to me about those teams. who has i about those teams. who has contributed to this?- about those teams. who has contributed to this? well, there are some big contributions _ contributed to this? well, there are some big contributions that - contributed to this? well, there are some big contributions that are - contributed to this? well, there are l some big contributions that are done 5ome big contributions that are done through— some big contributions that are done through bilateral agreements that nasa has with other spatial agencies. so for example, the french have produced one of the laser type instruments that the rover's going to use _ instruments that the rover's going to use the — instruments that the rover's going to use. the spanish have provided the weather system that it has. but, yeah. _ the weather system that it has. but, yeah. they— the weather system that it has. but, yeah, they have got all sorts of people — yeah, they have got all sorts of people working on it's you know. one of the _ people working on it's you know. one of the scientists that's planned the route _ of the scientists that's planned the route is— of the scientists that's planned the route is british. there is everybody whos— route is british. there is everybody who's got— route is british. there is everybody who's got a — route is british. there is everybody who's got a finger in that pie. i should — who's got a finger in that pie. i should say— who's got a finger in that pie. i should say the thing that i'm waiting — should say the thing that i'm waiting for now is a picture of the crater~ _ waiting for now is a picture of the crater~ this— waiting for now is a picture of the crater. this rover was programmed, as soon— crater. this rover was programmed, as soon as _ crater. this rover was programmed, as soon as it— crater. this rover was programmed, as soon as it touches down commute take a _ as soon as it touches down commute take a picture in front and you take a picture _ take a picture in front and you take a picture the back. how take a picture in front and you take a picture the back.— a picture the back. how long does that take to _ a picture the back. how long does that take to send _ a picture the back. how long does that take to send back? _ a picture the back. how long does that take to send back? it - a picture the back. how long does that take to send back? it should | that take to send back? it should come back _ that take to send back? it should come back very, _ that take to send back? it should come back very, very _ that take to send back? it should come back very, very soon. - that take to send back? it should come back very, very soon. very| that take to send back? it should - come back very, very soon. very soon indeed _ come back very, very soon. very soon indeed is _ come back very, very soon. very soon indeed. , ., indeed. is that it? explained, - indeed. is that it? i explained, jonathan indeed. is that it? - explained, jonathan what indeed. is that it? _ explained, jonathan what we have been seen so far. that explained, jonathan what we have been seen so far.— been seen so far. that is it, that's the picture- _ been seen so far. that is it, that's the picture- l— been seen so far. that is it, that's the picture. i thought _ been seen so far. that is it, that's the picture. i thought it— been seen so far. that is it, that's the picture. i thought it would - been seen so far. that is it, that's| the picture. i thought it would take 11 minutes- — 11 minutes. i thought it —— that is the picture. so what _ i thought it —— that is the picture. so what they were hoping to do was to get— so what they were hoping to do was to get a _ so what they were hoping to do was to get a picture back before the satellite. — to get a picture back before the satellite, which has relayed this, disappeared over the horizon. and they they— disappeared over the horizon. and they they would have to wait several hours _ they they would have to wait several hours until— they they would have to wait several hours until another one came over. now. _ hours until another one came over. now. this _ hours until another one came over. now, this tells the engineers what the surface is like that they have landed _ the surface is like that they have landed on — the surface is like that they have landed on. i mean, you can see from that. _ landed on. i mean, you can see from that. to _ landed on. i mean, you can see from that. to me. — landed on. i mean, you can see from that, to me, that looks like the front— that, to me, that looks like the front of— that, to me, that looks like the front of the rover. you canjust see the elbow— front of the rover. you canjust see the elbow of— front of the rover. you canjust see the elbow of the robotic arm there, and there _ the elbow of the robotic arm there, and there will be a picture that will come _ and there will be a picture that will come from the back, you can tell that — will come from the back, you can tell that that is the robotic arm there _ tell that that is the robotic arm there because you can see the shadow of the _ there because you can see the shadow of the equipment there on the ground — of the equipment there on the ground. they will have a picture from _ ground. they will have a picture from behind as well. what i am hoping — from behind as well. what i am hoping is — from behind as well. what i am hoping is that we will see that cliff. — hoping is that we will see that cliff, which is the target of where they want— cliff, which is the target of where they want to go in the next few months — they want to go in the next few months. now, of course, they can put it down— months. now, of course, they can put it down to _ months. now, of course, they can put it down to within a few hundred metres. — it down to within a few hundred metres, they can't actually tell you which _ metres, they can't actually tell you which orientation it's going to be. we which orientation it'5 going to be. we will— which orientation it'5 going to be. we will let— which orientation it's going to be. we will let them off without, but amazing — we will let them off without, but amazing to get this picture, overnight tonight, we may get the first of— overnight tonight, we may get the first of these little movies that were _ first of these little movies that were taken from the vehicle as it came _ were taken from the vehicle as it came down. you will see the ground approaching the rover as it neared the surface — approaching the rover as it neared the surface of mars, but it's terrific _ the surface of mars, but it's terrific. this is what it's all about. _ terrific. this is what it's all about, and now have several years ahead _ about, and now have several years ahead of— about, and now have several years ahead of us — about, and now have several years ahead of us to trundle around this crater— ahead of us to trundle around this crater and. — ahead of us to trundle around this crater and, you know, potentially make _ crater and, you know, potentially make the — crater and, you know, potentially make the greatest ever scientific discovery — make the greatest ever scientific discovery. you know, what's bigger scientific— discovery. you know, what's bigger scientific discovery is there? than to detect — scientific discovery is there? than to detect life