Hindi Tamil Telugu
    More
    In the news
    Narendra Modi
    Amit Shah
    Box Office Collection
    Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
    OTT releases
    Hindi Tamil Telugu
    User Placeholder

    Hi,

    Logout

    India
    Business
    World
    Politics
    Sports
    Technology
    Entertainment
    Auto
    Lifestyle
    Inspirational
    Career
    Bengaluru
    Delhi
    Mumbai

    Download Android App

    Follow us on
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Linkedin
    Home / News / Technology News / How NASA's Perseverance rover selects samples on Mars
    Next Article
    How NASA's Perseverance rover selects samples on Mars
    The SHERLOC instrument helps scientists decide if they have to collect a particular sample from Mars (Photo credit: NASA)

    How NASA's Perseverance rover selects samples on Mars

    By Sanjana Shankar
    Jul 21, 2023
    04:15 pm

    What's the story

    In February 2021, NASA's six-wheeled robot, called Perseverance rover, landed on Mars to find out if the now-barren planet ever contained any traces of life.

    Over the course of time, the rover has picked up several Martian samples, all thanks to observations made by an innovative instrument, called SHERLOC.

    Let's take a look at how crucial the instrument is.

    Context

    Why does this story matter?

    Perseverance rover's focus is particularly on a region on Mars called Jerezo Crater.

    This region is believed to have been flooded with water, serving as the perfect spot for collecting samples that could reveal if the Red Planet was ever home to life in its past.

    We will find out for sure if that's the case when the rover's samples are returned to Earth.

    You're
    14%
    through

    SHERLOC

    The instrument is equipped with cameras, spectrometers, and a laser

    The SHERLOC instrument, short for Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman and Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals, is mounted on the arm of the Perseverance rover.

    It helps scientists decide if they have to collect a particular sample from Mars or not.

    Equipped with cameras, spectrometers, and a laser, SHERLOC looks out for carbon-based molecules that are considered the building blocks of life.

    You're
    28%
    through

    Working

    SHERLOC can analyze what rocks are made up of

    SHERLOC analyzes the chemical composition of Martian rocks based on how they scatter light.

    The instrument shoots an ultraviolet laser at the object of interest and studies how that light is absorbed and then emitted—a phenomenon called the Raman effect.

    In this way, it charts a distinctive "fingerprint" of different molecules, thereby helping understand the composition and origin of the rocks present on Mars.

    You're
    42%
    through

    Information

    The instrument's WATSON camera can capture color images

    SHERLOC's onboard color camera called WATSON (Wide Angle Topographic Sensor for Operations and Engineering) helps capture the rocky textures of the samples. It adds data to those images to create spatial maps of chemicals on the rock's surface.

    You're
    57%
    through

    Analyzing

    Drilled Martian rocks are roughly the size of classroom chalk

    It is only after analyzing data from SHERLOC that the mission scientists decide to use the rover to drill out a sample from a Martian rock.

    Such samples collected from the Martian rocks are about the size of classroom chalk and are stored in the rover's belly.

    Ultimately, scientists want to pick up specimens that are representative of different areas within the Jezero Crater.

    You're
    71%
    through

    Curiosity

    Scientists want to bring Perseverance's samples to Earth

    There's another robotic explorer actively probing Mars, called Curiosity rover.

    This mission has confirmed the presence of organic molecules multiple times in Gale Crater, lying about 3,700km from Perseverance.

    Curiosity's instrument works by heating up Martian rocks and analyzing the resulting vapor.

    Since Perseverance's samples could contain preserved signs of life, scientists want to keep the samples intact and bring them back to Earth.

    You're
    85%
    through

    Mars Sample Return

    Perseverance's samples will reach here by 2033

    Bringing back Martian samples to Earth will allow the scientists to study the specimens in-depth with sophisticated lab equipment, that are too complex to be sent to Mars.

    As part of the Mars Sample Return Campaign, NASA along with the ESA (European Space Agency), would send spacecraft to collect these sealed samples from Perseverance and return them to Earth around 2033.

    Done!
    Facebook
    Whatsapp
    Twitter
    Linkedin
    Related News
    Latest
    NASA
    Perseverance Rover

    Latest

    Yuzvendra Chahal has dismissed Sanju Samson 5 times in IPL Indian Premier League (IPL)
    Punjab Kings to miss key players against Rajasthan Royals Punjab Kings (PBKS)
    Trump's USAID cuts lead to food wastage for 3.5 million Elon Musk
    Scientists reveal what happens when black holes cross each other Black Hole

    NASA

    How NASA assigns names to geological features on Mars Perseverance Rover
    How NASA, Boeing's X-66A aircraft will make air travel sustainable Boeing
    NASA's Curiosity rover documents Martian day and night Space News
    Scientists discover potential for life on Saturn's moon Enceladus Saturn

    Perseverance Rover

    NASA's Perseverance rover successfully lands on Mars' Jezero crater Mars Orbiter Mission
    NASA's Perseverance rover sends first pictures of Mars to Earth NASA
    This photo of Mars rover's descent has NASA awestruck NASA
    NASA's Perseverance rover relays first audio, video clips from Mars Space News
    Indian Premier League (IPL) Celebrity Hollywood Bollywood UEFA Champions League Tennis Football Smartphones Cryptocurrency Upcoming Movies Premier League Cricket News Latest automobiles Latest Cars Upcoming Cars Latest Bikes Upcoming Tablets
    About Us Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions Contact Us Ethical Conduct Grievance Redressal News News Archive Topics Archive Download DevBytes Find Cricket Statistics
    Follow us on
    Facebook Twitter Linkedin
    All rights reserved © NewsBytes 2025