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On the eve of the 3rd anniversary since her nail biting touchdown inside Gale Crater, NASA's car sized Curiosity Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover has discovered a new type of Martian rock that's surprisingly rich in silica – and unlike any other targets found before.
Excited by this new science finding on Mars, Curiosity's handlers are now gearing the robot up for her next full drill campaign today, July 31 (Sol 1060) into a rock target called "Buckskin" – which lies at the base of Mount Sharp, the huge layered mountain that is the primary science target of this Mars rover mission.
"The team selected the "Buckskin" target to drill," says Lauren Edgar, Research Geologist at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center and an MSL science team member, in a mission update.
"It's another exciting day on Mars!"
[More after the Break]
For about the past two months, the six wheeled robot has been driving around and exploring a geological contact zone named "Marias Pass" – an area on lower Mount Sharp, by examining the rocks and outcrops with her suite of state-of-the-art science instruments.
The goal is to provide geologic context for her long term expedition up the mountains sedimentary layers to study the habitability of the Red Planet over eons of time.
Data from Curiosity's "laser-firing Chemistry & Camera (ChemCam) and Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN), show elevated amounts of silicon and hydrogen, respectively," in certain local area rocks, according to the team.
Silica is a rock-forming compound containing silicon and oxygen, commonly found on Earth as quartz.
"High levels of silica could indicate ideal conditions for preserving ancient organic material, if present, so the science team wants to take a closer look."
...
As of today, Sol 1060, July 31, 2015, she has taken over 255,000 amazing images.
Curiosity recently celebrated 1000 Sols of exploration on Mars on May 31, 2015 – detailed [in the link] with our Sol 1000 mosaic also featured at Astronomy Picture of the Day on June 13, 2015.
(Score: 0, Troll) by Ethanol-fueled on Monday August 10 2015, @03:04AM
Christ. Is no place online safe from the hysterical menace of rabid political correctness plaguing modern culture and vernacular?
The Mars rover is an IT, not a 'he' or 'she.'
It might have worked for historical reasons had the submitter been referring to a vessel containing humans, but in this case it just fucking stinks of misguided appliance fetishism at best and misrepresenting the English language at worst.
(Score: 2) by Subsentient on Monday August 10 2015, @03:53AM
But, aqu4bot IS a girl!
"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society." -Jiddu Krishnamurti
(Score: 2) by Freeman on Monday August 10 2015, @05:42PM
It is tradition to name a vessel a female name as you pointed out. Why not carry that tradition over to a robot lab on wheels we sent to another planet? The tradition may be dumb, but that doesn't make it "hysterical menace of rabid political correctness plaguing modern culture and vernacular".
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"