Curiosity prepared to explore a new portion of Mars
Recently, a significant event occurred in planetary research: the first well was drilled on Mars. This was done not for the purposes that you thought of, recalling the manufacturer of the rover, but to receive the sample from the depth, where it remained unchanged from external influence. But to drill is only half the battle. It is necessary to prepare recruited rocks for loading into research instruments, and they are very demanding.
The first well on Mars was test. Curiosity deepened only a couple of centimeters, and the breed that plucked into the drill during the work - poured out. But the test showed that all systems are working normally, you can drill. And the next day, NASA fulfilled its long-held dream - penetrated into Mars.
Americans walked a long time to this point. They even prepared a special summary illustration of the tools that introduced various generations of research vehicles to the Martian depths. On the left - the result of the RAT operation of the Spirit and Opportunity rovers. Although it seems that this is also a drilled mark, but this tool looks more like a brush with stiff bristles than a drill. In the center is the track of the Phoenix Lander bucket, the apparatus that put the final point on the question of whether there is water on Mars. With a bucket with teeth, he scooped up the surface of Mars and found water ice. But he did it in the polar regions, so to repeat this feat Curiosity does not shine. And finally, a fresh, full-fledged well ... 7 cm deep.
')
Yes, all these loud words about an epochal event are pronounced about a hole depth of 7 cm in ridiculous. But, as they say, the main thing is not the length of the drill, but the ability to use it. And NASA assures that it has been training since 2007, so it’s ready to hammer Mars as you please.
I have already talked about the principle of operation of the Curiosity borax, but they have prepared a new good illustration of its device, so that it will not be repeated. It seems to me that this drill can be called a “syringe for stones,” for the principle of action is similar. The drill bit is embedded in the stone, and the stone chips inside the drill begin to rise upward, like liquid after the syringe's piston.
Climbing up the spiral grooves of the drill, the ground enters the chamber, from which it moves along the tube to the CHIMRA tool. I mentioned it before . Here only briefly touch on his description. Its main task is to sift the soil gathered by the bucket or the brown soil.
Preparation is necessary for internal devices studying the mineralogical, chemical and isotopic composition: CheMin and SAM .
Particle size requirements are the most stringent for CheMin, SAM is simpler - it does not send solid samples beyond the stove. But for CheMin need particles no more than 150 microns (0.15 mm). But, since the preparation is carried out simultaneously for both devices, then the soil is prepared carefully.
Drilled chips as a result of drilling looks like this:
Getting into CHIMRA, it is subjected to shaking and sieving through a thin sieve, which cuts everything larger than 150 microns. A few days later, after the completed well, the rover completed this work.
In addition, Curiosity continues to look around with its cameras. Black and white is constantly trying to see the clouds and catch dusty tornadoes, but so far to no avail. A colored works on landscapes. The atmosphere cleared after a dust storm and now the beautiful slopes of the ring shaft of the Gale crater are now available again.
The latest portion of Mars on the desktop can be found on VKontakte hashtag #MarsDesk
ChemCam is also not idle:
In the lower left, visible marks from shots are visible. Pay attention to the behavior of dust in the upper right corner. Breeze noticeable, despite the thinnest atmosphere.
True to shoot a protruding piece of iron, seen earlier in the pictures, they are not in a hurry, apparently far away there.
NASA even released a special explanation about this finding. She said that looser rocks are destroyed by the wind, and the harder ones begin to stick out at unusual angles. But what kind of solid rock, and why it has a suspicious metallic luster, has not given an explanation. Official release in PDF translation VK .
So, Curiosity sifted the first rock from the depths of Mars and got ready to study. This means that for another two weeks, he will not budge, but will just pour the next portions into the graves. This study is much more interesting than the one that stirred up journalists two months ago. There was volcanic sand, and this recruited rock suspiciously resembles clay, and if so, then there are absolutely real chances to find traces of the presence of life in the Martian past. True, scientists are already beginning to add that such traces may not have been preserved, that 7 cm is not enough, but deeper chances are greater. But I think they are reinsured. If it really turns out to be the same clay that appeared at times favorable for life, and if no trace of life is found there, then this will be a great disorder for many. But something tells me, NASA will again come to some contradictory results, and say "We must continue." So that to be continued ...
The first well on Mars was test. Curiosity deepened only a couple of centimeters, and the breed that plucked into the drill during the work - poured out. But the test showed that all systems are working normally, you can drill. And the next day, NASA fulfilled its long-held dream - penetrated into Mars.
Americans walked a long time to this point. They even prepared a special summary illustration of the tools that introduced various generations of research vehicles to the Martian depths. On the left - the result of the RAT operation of the Spirit and Opportunity rovers. Although it seems that this is also a drilled mark, but this tool looks more like a brush with stiff bristles than a drill. In the center is the track of the Phoenix Lander bucket, the apparatus that put the final point on the question of whether there is water on Mars. With a bucket with teeth, he scooped up the surface of Mars and found water ice. But he did it in the polar regions, so to repeat this feat Curiosity does not shine. And finally, a fresh, full-fledged well ... 7 cm deep.
')
Yes, all these loud words about an epochal event are pronounced about a hole depth of 7 cm in ridiculous. But, as they say, the main thing is not the length of the drill, but the ability to use it. And NASA assures that it has been training since 2007, so it’s ready to hammer Mars as you please.
I have already talked about the principle of operation of the Curiosity borax, but they have prepared a new good illustration of its device, so that it will not be repeated. It seems to me that this drill can be called a “syringe for stones,” for the principle of action is similar. The drill bit is embedded in the stone, and the stone chips inside the drill begin to rise upward, like liquid after the syringe's piston.
Climbing up the spiral grooves of the drill, the ground enters the chamber, from which it moves along the tube to the CHIMRA tool. I mentioned it before . Here only briefly touch on his description. Its main task is to sift the soil gathered by the bucket or the brown soil.
Preparation is necessary for internal devices studying the mineralogical, chemical and isotopic composition: CheMin and SAM .
Particle size requirements are the most stringent for CheMin, SAM is simpler - it does not send solid samples beyond the stove. But for CheMin need particles no more than 150 microns (0.15 mm). But, since the preparation is carried out simultaneously for both devices, then the soil is prepared carefully.
Drilled chips as a result of drilling looks like this:
Getting into CHIMRA, it is subjected to shaking and sieving through a thin sieve, which cuts everything larger than 150 microns. A few days later, after the completed well, the rover completed this work.
In addition, Curiosity continues to look around with its cameras. Black and white is constantly trying to see the clouds and catch dusty tornadoes, but so far to no avail. A colored works on landscapes. The atmosphere cleared after a dust storm and now the beautiful slopes of the ring shaft of the Gale crater are now available again.
The latest portion of Mars on the desktop can be found on VKontakte hashtag #MarsDesk
ChemCam is also not idle:
In the lower left, visible marks from shots are visible. Pay attention to the behavior of dust in the upper right corner. Breeze noticeable, despite the thinnest atmosphere.
True to shoot a protruding piece of iron, seen earlier in the pictures, they are not in a hurry, apparently far away there.
NASA even released a special explanation about this finding. She said that looser rocks are destroyed by the wind, and the harder ones begin to stick out at unusual angles. But what kind of solid rock, and why it has a suspicious metallic luster, has not given an explanation. Official release in PDF translation VK .
So, Curiosity sifted the first rock from the depths of Mars and got ready to study. This means that for another two weeks, he will not budge, but will just pour the next portions into the graves. This study is much more interesting than the one that stirred up journalists two months ago. There was volcanic sand, and this recruited rock suspiciously resembles clay, and if so, then there are absolutely real chances to find traces of the presence of life in the Martian past. True, scientists are already beginning to add that such traces may not have been preserved, that 7 cm is not enough, but deeper chances are greater. But I think they are reinsured. If it really turns out to be the same clay that appeared at times favorable for life, and if no trace of life is found there, then this will be a great disorder for many. But something tells me, NASA will again come to some contradictory results, and say "We must continue." So that to be continued ...
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/170171/
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