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Photograph NASA/JPL-Caltech

HUMANS aren’t the only ones who need eye exams – cameras do too. Here, a camera on the Mars 2020 rover is being put through its paces at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. Without good vision, the rover won’t be able to answer key questions about Martian geology and history, particularly whether life existed there in the past.

The Mars 2020 team uses boards covered in dots to ensure the cameras meet the required accuracy and resolution standards. The boards are placed at several distances ranging from 1 to 40 metres from the rover to see how clearly the dots emerge.

This process helps calibrate the two navigation cameras that provide the rover with 3D vision and the hazard avoidance cameras placed low on the vehicle to keep an eye on the terrain. This lets the rover move autonomously without crashing into big rocks.

The rover has a host of cameras. So far all nine on its front and mast have been tested – the rest are due for check-ups soon. The rover is scheduled to launch in July or August 2020, arriving early 2021.