NASA's Perseverance Rover collects its 13th rock core sample
NASA's Perseverance Rover has successfully obtained another rocky sample from the Jezero Crater on Mars. This time, it's a two-inch cylindrical piece of fine-grained rock that has captured the rover's attention. Similar to other samples in its troupe, the rock specimens collected by the rover could shed some light on the origin of life on the red planet.
Why does this story matter?
The Perseverance Rover landed on Mars last year in an attempt to probe for signs of past life. The Jezero Crater was finalized as a suitable location for investigation after an intensive five-year study by NASA. Scientists believe that this area was once abundant in water and could thereby possess crucial information about possible traces of life on this planet.
The 13th sample is a cylindrical piece of fine-grained rock
The Perseverance rover has a stroke of luck this time. The previous attempt at extracting a fine-grained rock didn't go as expected. The rover accidentally shattered the rock while trying to obtain it. This time, however, a cylindrical piece of rock of the same nature has been cautiously picked up. For backup, the Martian rover collects its samples in duplicates.
The sample is labeled 'Shuyak'
NASA has classified the 13th rocky sample as a 'rock core' and has named it 'Shuyak'. This sedimentary rock has been obtained from the delta front region of the Jezero Crater. The specimen measures 5.55 cm (2.19 inches) in length.
NASA is currently "nerding out" over the latest sample
You can explore the rover's whereabouts on Mars
NASA's Mars Sample Return Program would bring back the rocky samples collected from the red planet for further research. Meanwhile, here's a fun tip. You can explore the whereabouts of the rover by using this link: https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/mission/where-is-the-rover/
