On February 18th, 2021, GGB Bushings landed on Mars aboard the newest Mars Rover, Perseverance.
GGB previously landed on the red planet in 2012 aboard the Curiosity rover on a mission to investigate conditions on the red planet to see if they may have been conducive to microbial life.
This time, Mission Mars 2020 has the Perseverance seeking signs of ancient life, while also collecting samples or rock and soil for possible return to Earth. GGB worked with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to find the best tribological solution for use in the Sampling and Caching System. Ultimately, GGB and JPL decided on GGB's DP4-B bearings to be used in multiple places within the Sampling and Caching System on the rover, serving as the primary suspension components in the robotic drill arm for collecting Martian rock.
DP4-B delivers the same dry running capability as DP4® coupled with the bronze substrate to improve corrosion resistance allowing the Perseverance's drill to function in the extreme Martian environment where temperatures range from -328°F (-200°C) to +536°F (+280°C).