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Laser Instrument on NASA Mars Rover Tops 100,000 Zaps

By Guest PostDecember 8, 2013Sciencealbuquerque, chemcam, chemical element, crater rim, curiosity mars rover, gale crater, geological process, horton newsom, igneous rocks, ionized gas, ithaca, laboratory project, laser instrument, mars science, micro imager camera, nasa mars rover, new mexico, plasma, rocks, soils, spectrum of light, university, veins of sulfates

NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover has passed the milestone of 100,000 shots fired by its laser. It uses the laser as one way to check which chemical elements are in rocks and soils.

The 100,000th shot was one of a series of 300 to investigate 10 locations on a rock called “Ithaca” in late October, at a distance of 13 feet, 3 inches (4.04 meters) from the laser and telescope on rover’s mast. The Chemistry and Camera instrument (ChemCam) uses the infrared laser to excite material in a pinhead-size spot on the target into a glowing, ionized gas, called plasma. ChemCam observes that spark with the telescope and analyzes the spectrum of light to identify elements in the target. (more…)

Science Benefits From Diverse Landing Area of NASA Mars Rover

By Guest PostSeptember 28, 2013Scienceamorphous materials, atmosphere, crystalline minerals, david bish, david blake, diverse landing area, edward stolper, fine particle material, france, gale crater, high latitude, igneous rocks, indiana university, isotopes, jake m, mars, martian crust, martian surface, molten material, nasa mars rover, pierre yves meslin, red planet, rocknest, toulouse, volcanic deposits, water molecules, xrays

PASADENA, Calif. — NASA’s Curiosity rover is revealing a great deal about Mars, from long-ago processes in its interior to the current interaction between the Martian surface and atmosphere.

Examination of loose rocks, sand and dust has provided new understanding of the local and global processes on Mars. Analysis of observations and measurements by the rover’s science instruments during the first four months after the August 2012 landing are detailed in five reports in the Sept. 27 edition of the journal Science. (more…)

Long Drive Puts NASA Mars Rover Near Planned Waypoint

By Guest PostSeptember 11, 2013Scienceenvironmental conditions, exposed bedrock, glenelg area, hazard avoidance system, jeff biesiadecki, john grotzinger, mars reconnaissance orbiter, mount sharp, nasa mars rover, panorama point, rover planner, yellowknife bay

PASADENA, Calif. — NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity now has a view of a patch of exposed bedrock scientists selected for a few days of close-up study, the first such study since the rover began its long trek to Mount Sharp two months ago.

Curiosity reached the crest of a rise informally called “Panorama Point.” From Panorama Point, the rover took photographs of a pale-toned outcrop area that the team chose earlier as “Waypoint 1” on the basis of imagery from NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. (more…)

Tag Archives: nasa mars rover

Laser Instrument on NASA Mars Rover Tops 100,000 Zaps

Science Benefits From Diverse Landing Area of NASA Mars Rover

Long Drive Puts NASA Mars Rover Near Planned Waypoint