Our geek heroes at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory have almost finished their testing of the instruments on the Mars Science Lab (MSL) in preparation for a trek by the rover toward its next objective, some rock worth investigating, somewhere between the rover's present location and the first full investigational site. A previous diary in this series was about the best microscopic imaging system humans have ever deployed on Mars, an attachment to the MSL's versatile robotic arm. NASA's science team has now successfully tested another remarkable tool on the seven foot robot arm, the Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS).
If you want to know more, come out into the tall grass and we'll talk.
Here is what NASA says about these instruments and how they plan to use them:
Two science instruments -- a camera called Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) that can take close-up, color images and a tool called Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) that determines the elemental composition of a target rock -- have passed preparatory tests at the rover's current location. The instruments are mounted on a turret at the end of the arm and can be placed in contact with target rocks.
Curiosity's Canadian-made APXS had taken atmospheric readings earlier, but its first use on a solid target on Mars was this week on a calibration target brought from Earth. X-ray detectors work best cold, but even the daytime APXS tests produced clean data for identifying elements in the target.
"The spectrum peaks are so narrow, we're getting excellent resolution, just as good as we saw in tests on Earth under ideal conditions," said APXS principal investigator Ralf Gellert of the University of Guelph, in Ontario, Canada. "The good news is that we can now make high-resolution measurements even at high noon to support quick decisions about whether a sample is worthwhile for further investigations."
NASA has endowed the MSL with tools that allow the science team to be opportunistic in their investigations providing an impressive array of instruments to help the scientists pick appropriate and promising target rock for testing. The most sophisticated investigation on the surface of the Red Planet ever attempted by mankind is about to begin.
Rover has not moved since September 5. After the tests confirming the mobility systems moved the MSL from Bradbury Landing to its present location, the lab had remained stationary while testing other systems. That pause is almost over. NASA says everything works great. A great scientific adventure awaits.
Here are my previous diaries in this series inspired by NASA's new roving science lab on Mars, listed in the order I have posted them.
Mars Curiosity Rover -- Meet the ChemCam
Ray Bradbury is Honored Today on Mars
What Curiosity Can Do, Part 2.
What Curiosity Can Do on Mars and in this Election
Will Curiosity Mission Finally Vindicate the Life Science Results from the 1976 Viking Lander?
From Mars: SAM Takes a Deep Breath and Flexes his Arm
From Mars: Here's Looking At You, Kid.
Also, h/t to Troubadour for the excellent photo diary from the mission.
