Perseverance rover successfully collects first Martian sample

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New images with better lighting reveal that the rover actually successfully collected a Martian rock sample last week. Now the rover processes and seals the sample tube. It is the first Martian rock core to be docked on the rover.

It’s one of more than 30 Martian samples that will be returned to Earth by future missions in the early 2030s – and they could reveal whether microbial life ever existed on Mars.

The Perseverance rover drilled into Martian rock on September 2, but the rover’s team on Earth wanted better images to make sure the sample was safely in the tube. The first images and data returned by the rover suggested that an intact sample was inside the tube after Perseverance drilled into a rock selected by the mission’s science team.

After these images were taken, the rover vibrated the drill bit and tube for five one-second bursts to both remove any residual material outside the tube. It is possible that this caused the sample to slide further inside the tube, making it difficult to see.

The next images taken after that were “inconclusive due to the poor sunlight conditions,” according to the agency. Perseverance spent the next two days using its cameras to take more images in better lighting conditions before moving on to the next steps in the sampling process.
Perseverance rover's first attempt to collect Martian sample did not go as planned

The added step of taking additional images before sealing and storing the sample tube was added after Perseverance attempted to drill another rock target on August 5. During this attempt, the rock collapsed and there was no sample present in the tube once it was put away.

“The project got its first core rock under its belt, and it’s a phenomenal achievement,” Jennifer Trosper, project leader for the mission at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., Said in a statement. “The team determined a location, selected and excavated a viable and scientifically sound rock. We did what we came to do.”

The rover uses a rotary impact drill and a hollow drill bit to drill through rocks and collect samples a little thicker than a pencil. This sampling system is located at the end of the rover’s 2 meter long robotic arm.

This shows the Perseverance sample tube with its rock contents hollowed out inside.

Perseverance is currently exploring the location of the Citadel in Jezero Crater, which billions of years ago was once the site of an ancient lake. The rover’s specific target was a boulder called Rochette, which is about the size of a briefcase and is part of a half-mile ridge of rocky outcrops and boulders.

Fly over Mars

The Ingenuity helicopter has also been very busy, acting as an aerial scout for future rover adventures. The small helicopter successfully completed its 13th flight to Mars this weekend.

It flew at a slightly slower speed of 7.3 miles per hour (3.3 meters per second) over the South Seítah area and took a plethora of photos.

Ingenuity captured this view of the sand dunes, boulders and rocky outcrops of the "Séítah South" region on Mars on August 16.

The 12th helicopter flight also affected this region, which could be of great interest to the rover’s scientific team. The 13th flight saw Ingenuity fly in a different direction over South Seítah to capture a different perspective.

During the 12th flight, scientists were intrigued by a peculiar ridge line and its rocky outcrops. Ingenuity therefore flew at a lower altitude than usual, passing 26 feet (8 meters) above the area instead of 33 feet (10 meters).

Now the science team has images showing this geologically intriguing region of the northeast as well as the southwest. Together, the images could help the Perseverance team determine where the rover should lead next – and where to collect more samples.

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