New
Latest Update

NASA’s Perseverance Rover has Collected Rock Samples

Advertisement

Published on: September 3, 2021,

Earlier there was news that NASA’s Perseverance Rover will be collecting rock samples. As from data collected from Sept 1. NASA’s Perseverance rover has collected Mars Rock samples. Rover has cored a Mars Rock. Initial images are downlinked after historic event show sample present in tube after coring. Obtaining additional imagery before proceeding with sealing and storing of Mars sample is extra step obtained from the rover. The Perseverance mission is confident that sample is in the tube. As for making sure images in optimal lighting conditions will confirm its presence. Samples collected were thicker than pencil which was collected from rover’s rotary percussive drill and hollow coring bit at the end. After covering coring sample it was imaged by the rover’s Mastcam-Z instrument. The target for sample collection was a briefcase size rocks which contains rock outcrops and boulders.

 

The initial set of images showed end of cored rock in a sample tube. The rover will once again drill and tube for one second five separate times. This is done so as to clear the sample tube of any residual material. “The project was successful under its belt and it is a phenomenal accomplishment,” said Jennifer Trosper, project manager at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.

 

More images will be taken when he Sun is angled in a more favorable position. Photos will be taken after sunset to diminish point sources of light. The pictures taken will be returned to Earth in morning of September 4. If the results remain inconclusive the team has several options to choose from. This is second time the Perseverance has employed Sampling and Caching System since it landed in Jerero Crater on February 18.

 

The main objective of Perseverance’s mission is astrobiology to collect signs of any ancient microbial life. Also geology and past climate of Mars will be studied. Spacecrafts to Mars will be sent to collect sealed samples and return to Earth. The Mars 2020 Perseverance mission in part of NASA’s moon to Mars exploration which will prepare for human exploration of Red Planet.

 

 

Advertisement

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *