The rover Curiosity has used a laser cannon spectrometer over 100,000 times

It seems that the Curiosity rover recently went to the Red Planet, but a lot has already been done. Since arriving on Mars, August 6, 2012, the rover has been able to clarify many questions about Mars, including such important problems as the presence of liquid water in the past of the planet (and in the present), the features of the geological structure of the planet and much more. A very important role in many discoveries was played by the ChemCam spectrometer. The other day, the laser gun, which is part of the spectrometer, "shot" 100 thousand times.

This number gives an idea of ​​how many experiments have already been performed, and not only with the participation of the spectrometer. For the latter, ChemCam works in two stages. The first is the “shot” of a laser gun, which turns a small amount of rock into a gaseous state. Then the camera of the rover receives "pictures" of the formed gases. Well, and then an analysis of the information received.
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The first time the laser gun of the ChemCam spectrometer was launched on August 20, 2012, two weeks after the rover was landed on the surface of Mars.

Via upi.com