Assessing Soil on Curiosity Observation Tray

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Assessing Drop-Off to Mars Rover's Observation Tray

http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/2103/700550main1pia16235226.jpg

NASA's Mars rover Curiosity used its Mast Camera (Mastcam) during the mission's 78th sol (Oct. 24, 2012) to view soil material on the rover's observation tray. The observations will help assess movement of the sample on the tray in response to vibrations from sample-delivery and sample-processing activities of mechanisms on the rover's arm.

Curiosity is working with material from the fourth scoop of soil it collected at the "Rocknest" patch of dust and sand. On Sol 77, a sieved portion from this scoop was delivered to the Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) instrument inside the rover. This is the second soil sample for CheMin analysis. The material from the fourth scoop is also being used to scrub internal surfaces of the rover's sample-processing mechanisms in preparation for delivery of a sample from a later scoop to the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument.

Sol 78 activities included analysis of an atmosphere sample by SAM's Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer and monitoring of environmental conditions by the Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) and the Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD).

Sol 78, in Mars local mean solar time at Gale Crater, ended at 10:57 a.m. Oct. 25, PDT (1:57 p.m., EDT).

Guy Webster 818-354-6278

Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.

guy.webster@jpl.nasa.gov

2012-336

Source

[Ashotep]

I wish they would find something that said there was life there at one time.

[Waspie_Dwarf]

I wish they would find something that said there was life there at one time.

Give them time. Curiosity is still effectively being commissioned, it hasn't started the real science yet.

It's initial mission is due to last two years but could last twenty. Finding such evidence could take many years, it may not be found by this mission at all, and of course the possibility exists that there was never life on Mars.

I don't wish for any particular outcome, science is a search for the truth NOT for fulfilling wishes. I just look forward to the discoveries that will be made.

[DONTEATUS]

THis is so true,NASA will let us in on anything they find as soon as its been found ! Remember this is a great reason to shine for NASA ! Funding gets a lot easier when theres results ! THe best resukt is we can do so well in even landing and talking to Curiosity !