Perseverance rover is in 'great shape', says NASA after $2.2billion rover LANDS successfully

NASA says its Perseverance rover is in'great shape' after successfully landing on the surface of Mars last night after a 239 million-mile journey. The landmark landing shortly before 4pm ET (9pm GMT) was watched live by millions as NASA live streamed the process to millions of eager viewers. The $2.2billion car-sized rover guided itself to a patch of smooth terrain in Jezero, a 28-mile wide and 820ft-deep crater which was home to a Martian lake 3.5 billion years ago. Perseverance, nicknamed Percy, survived the dreaded'seven minutes of terror' which saw it endure temperatures in excess of 2,000 F as it entered the Martian atmosphere at more than 12,000mph. Perseverance beamed back its first image of the crater moments after NASA established radio contact with the rover, leading to raucous applause and joyous scenes at NASA's Californian mission control. Flight controller Swati Mohan announced to relieved colleagues: 'Touchdown confirmed! Perseverance safely on the surface of Mars, ready to begin seeking signs of past life.' 'The good news is the spacecraft, I think, is in great shape,' said Matt Wallace, Deputy Project Manager of Mars 2020. Perseverance will spend the next two Earth years scouring for signs of life in the crater and will perform a host of experiments.