As discussed in last week’s blog, the Science Team has been attempting to obtain a sample of a conglomerate rock unit on top of the fan in Jezero crater. The first attempt yielded a sample that was unfortunately too small, and the second attempt was unsuccessful. Why is this rock so difficult to sample, and why are we intent on obtaining a sample?
A conglomerate rock is of special interest to the Science Team because they are made up of many clasts of rocks. These distinct clasts become cemented together over time to form the conglomerate. Importantly, these clasts were likely transported to Jezero crater from much farther away. Analyzing the distinct clasts and cements captured in a sample of the conglomerate would give insights into where these materials were sourced, how far they traveled, and what the martian environment was like, both when the clasts first formed and when the conglomerate rock formed.
These exciting features of a conglomerate are also what made it difficult to sample – it’s crumbly! The clasts appeared loosely held together by a matrix of fine-grained sediment and mineral cement. When the rover tried to sample this rock, the fine-grained matrix likely broke up and caused the rock to fall apart. Nevertheless, because of the scientific merit of obtaining a sample of this conglomerate, the team prioritized trying again… and again.
And the third time was the charm! The rover successfully acquired a sample (pictured above) of the conglomerate at Otis Peak. Looking closely at this image of the sample from the CacheCam, you can see some of the distinct colors, denoting different clasts, present in the sample. Each clast will contain elements and minerals that can inform scientists about the history of water and rocks in Jezero crater. With another successful sample in the belly, Perseverance and the Science Team are now looking toward a drive to Snowdrift Peak on the way to the margin unit.
BLOGMARS PERSEVERANCE ROVER
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June 23, 2023
If at First You Don't Succeed… Persevere!
Mars Perseverance Sol 822 - Sample Caching System Camera: NASA's Mars Perseverance rover acquired this image using its onboard Sample Caching System Camera (CacheCam), located inside the rover underbelly.
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech.
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About This Blog
These blog updates are provided by self-selected Mars 2020 mission team members who love to share what Perseverance is doing with the public.
Dates of planned rover activities described in these blogs are subject to change due to a variety of factors related to the Martian environment, communication relays and rover status.
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Contributors+
-
Planetary Scientist, Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum
Washington, DC -
SuperCam/ChemCam Engineer, Los Alamos National LaboratoryLos Alamos National Laboratory -
Docking Systems Engineer, NASA/JPL
Pasadena, CA -
Deputy Program Scientist, NASA HQ
Washington, DC -
Student Collaborator, University of Florida
Gainesville, FL -
Mapping Specialist, NASA/JPL
Pasadena, CA -
SuperCam, PhD Student, Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN -
Systems Engineer, NASA/JPL
Pasadena, CA -
Project Scientist, Caltech
Pasadena, CA -
Mars 2020 Student Collaborator, University of Florida
Gainesville, FL -
Student Collaborator, Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN -
Student Collaborator, McGill University
Montreal, Canada -
Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment (MOXIE) Principal Investigator, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Westford, MA -
Chief Engineer for Sampling & Caching, NASA/JPL
Pasadena, CA -
Ph.D. Student, University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA -
Student Collaborator on Mastcam-Z, Western Washington University -
Student Collaborator, University of Florida
Gainesville, FL -
Ph.D. Student, Purdue University -
Systems Engineer, NASA/JPL
Pasadena, CA -
Perseverance Deputy Project Manager, NASA/JPL
Pasadena, CA -
Student Collaborator on PIXL, University of Washington -
Imaging Scientist and Mastcam-Z Deputy Principal Investigator, NASA/JPL -
MOXIE Science Team Member, Lunar Outpost -
Assistant Science Manager, NASA/JPL
Pasadena, CA -
Ph.D. Student, Rice University
Houston, Texas -
Ph.D. Student, University of the Basque Country -
Vehicle Systems Engineer, NASA/JPL
Pasadena, CA -
Atmospheric Scientist, Aeolis Research
Altadena, CA -
Sampling Operations Deputy Lead, NASA/JPL
Pasadena, CA -
Vehicle Systems Engineer Lead, NASA/JPL
Pasadena, CA -
Co-Investigator, PIXL Instrument, Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
Copenhagen, Denmark -
Student Collaborator, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Honolulu, HI -
Robotic Systems Engineer, NASA/JPL -
Deputy Project Scientist, NASA/JPL
Pasadena, CA -
Science Operations Systems Engineer, Staff Scientist, NASA/JPL
Pasadena, CA -
Sampling Engineer, NASA/JPL
Pasadena, CA -
Project Manager, NASA/JPL
Pasadena, CA -
Chief Engineer for Robotic Operations, NASA/JPL
Pasadena, CA -
Deputy Project Manager, NASA/JPL
Pasadena, CA -
Principal Investigator, SuperCam / Co-Investigator, SHERLOC instrument, Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN
Tools on the Perseverance Rover+
The Perseverance rover has tools to study the history of its landing site, seek signs of ancient life, collect rock and soil samples, and help prepare for human exploration of Mars. The rover carries:
CAMERAS & SPECTROMETERS
- Mastcam-Z
- PIXL (Planetary Instrument for X-ray Lithochemistry)
- SHERLOC (Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics & Chemicals)
- SuperCam
GROUND-PENETRATING RADAR
ENVIRONMENTAL SENSORS
TECHNOLOGY DEMO
SAMPLE COLLECTION