Written by Henry Manilsky, PhD, a student at the University of Bordeaux
The perseverance team is always looking for innovative ways to use our tools on Mars to increase the flag we do. On the Rover arm sits the SherLoc tool, which specializes in the discovery of organic compounds and is decisive in our search for previous microbial signs. But finding this membership is not easy. The upper surface of most of the persistent rocks on Mars is exposed to UV rays of the sun and the long -term oxidation of the atmosphere, both of which have the ability to break organic compounds. For this reason, obtaining Sherlock measurements from a “new” rocky face. Last week, Rover rich a snake rock as “green gardens”, which led to a new pile of drilling waste. To get this material ready for the SHerloc tool, which requires a soft space to get a measure, the science team made something for the first time on Mars: We have done it!
Using a contact sensor for our sampling system, designed to indicate how long our drilling touchs a rock while facilitating to take a nucleus, the perseverance was pressed down in the waste pile, which makes it in a flat and stable patch for the investigation. This unconventional approach has done completely! Sherlock’s spectrum scan was the resulting waste of these fresh waste – which includes sapinin, a metal of the main astronomical attention – successful. These flat drilling waste is a great example of how to think about thinking about thinking outside the box (or outside this world!) To maximizing science on Mars. With this success behind us, Rover rotates west towards the heart of “Witch Hazel Hill”, where you are waiting for more old rocks – and who knows what surprises – are waiting!