The GIF highlights NASAs Perseverance Mars rover utilizing a regolith sampling bit at the end of its robotic arm to collect rock and dust samples, referred to as regolith. These samples were gathered on December 2nd and 6th, 2022, which were the 634th and 639th Martian days of the mission respectively.
In the image above, NASAs Perseverance Mars rover is gathering 2 samples of regolith– damaged rock and dust– with a regolith sampling bit on completion of its robotic arm. The samples were gathered on December 2 and 6, 2022, the 634th and 639th Martian days, or sols, of the mission. The images were taken by among the rovers front threat cameras.
One of the 2 regolith samples will be considered for deposit on the Martian surface in the coming weeks as part of the Mars Sample Return campaign. Studying regolith with powerful laboratory devices back on Earth will permit researchers to much better comprehend the processes that have formed the surface of Mars and assist engineers design future objectives along with equipment used by future Martian astronauts.
This image shows NASAs Perseverance Mars rover gathering a sample of regolith on December 2, 2022, the 634th Martian day of the mission. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Perseverances mission on Mars intends to study astrobiology, with a focus on finding evidence of past microbial life. The rover will examine the worlds geology and environment history, lay the structure for future human missions, and collect and save samples of Martian rock and dust. These samples will then be obtained by future NASA and ESA (European Space Agency) objectives and brought back to Earth for comprehensive examination.
Bringing Mars Rock Samples Back to Earth: This brief animation functions key moments of NASA and ESAs Mars Sample Return campaign, from landing on Mars and protecting the sample tubes to launching them off the surface and transporting them back to Earth. Credit: NASA/ESA/JPL-Caltech/ GSFC/MSFC.
The Mars 2020 Perseverance mission is part of NASAs Moon to Mars expedition approach, which consists of Artemis objectives to the Moon that will help prepare for human expedition of the Red Planet.
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), which is handled for NASA by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena, California, developed and manages operations of the Perseverance rover.
The GIF illustrates NASAs Perseverance Mars rover utilizing a regolith sampling bit at the end of its robotic arm to gather rock and dust samples, referred to as regolith. In the image above, NASAs Perseverance Mars rover is gathering 2 samples of regolith– damaged rock and dust– with a regolith sampling bit on the end of its robotic arm. The rover will investigate the worlds geology and environment history, lay the structure for future human objectives, and gather and keep samples of Martian rock and dust.