Curiosity collects first Martian bedrock sample with drill
Posted: Sun, Feb 10, 2013, 9:21 AM ET (1421 GMT)
A little over six months after landing on the surface of Mars, NASA's Curiosity rover has collected its first sample of Martian bedrock. obtained by the rover's drill, NASA announced Saturday. Curiosity bored a hole about 1.6 centimeters in diameter and 6.4 centimeters deep into Martian bedrock, collecting a sample of powered rock. Scientists plan to analyze the sample with instruments on the rover to better understand wet environments that existed on the planet's surface early in its history. The drilling was the first time any spacecraft has drilled into the Martian surface to collect a sample; Curiosity tested the drill on a nearby portion of the same rock a few days earlier. The drill was the last of the rover's major pieces of equipment to be tested after its landing in August in Gale Crater.
A little over six months after landing on the surface of Mars, NASA's Curiosity rover has collected its first sample of Martian bedrock. obtained by the rover's drill, NASA announced Saturday. Curiosity bored a hole about 1.6 centimeters in diameter and 6.4 centimeters deep into Martian bedrock, collecting a sample of powered rock. Scientists plan to analyze the sample with instruments on the rover to better understand wet environments that existed on the planet's surface early in its history. The drilling was the first time any spacecraft has drilled into the Martian surface to collect a sample; Curiosity tested the drill on a nearby portion of the same rock a few days earlier. The drill was the last of the rover's major pieces of equipment to be tested after its landing in August in Gale Crater.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Starship explodes during preparations for static-fire test
Posted: Sun, Jun 22 6:52 AM ET (1052 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Sunday, June 22
Detection of semi-heavy water ice around young sunlike star
Netherlands Research School for Astronomy — 5:10 pm ET (2110 GMT) New Global Research Center a Rosetta Stone for Understanding the Universe at All Scales
Institute for Advanced Study — 5:09 pm ET (2109 GMT) A New GPS for the Intergalactic Medium: Astronomers Have Found the Home Address for Universe's "Missing" Matter
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics — 5:08 pm ET (2108 GMT) ESA’s Proba-3 mission captures first images of the solar corona using an artificial eclipse created by two satellites
Sener — 5:06 pm ET (2106 GMT) Spaceport America and the Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance Join Forces Through a Collaborative MOU
Spaceport America — 5:04 pm ET (2104 GMT) |
