[ad_1]
The mobile robot “Perseference” has failed in its attempt to take a piece of rock from Mars, the first of around thirty samples which should be sent back to Earth within a few years for analysis, according to “French” quoted by l US space agency “NASA”. “.
And “NASA” released images that clearly showed a small mound next to the shadow of the spacecraft, with a hole in its center, the first the robot dug on the Red Planet.
“The collection of samples has begun,” Thomas Zurbuchen, scientific director of the US Space Agency, wrote on Twitter.
But data sent back to Earth by the rover indicates that no samples were collected during this first attempt to sample the rocks.
“This is not the outcome we envisioned,” Zurbuchen said in a statement. “There is always a risk in embarking on an unprecedented exploration.”
“I am convinced that we have the right team for this operation and we will persevere to find a solution to ensure future success,” he added.
The process of collecting a sample, which is the size of a chalk and placed inside a tightly closed tube, is expected to take about 11 days in total.
The movement aims to search for signs of ancient life, such as traces of fossilized microbial life in rocks, and also to better understand the geology of Mars.
The mission was launched from Florida over a year ago.
The mobile robot, the size of a large SUV, landed on February 18 in the Jezero crater, which scientists say was home to a deep lake 3.5 billion years ago. This environment may have created the conditions necessary for life outside the planet.
NASA is planning a mission to bring the samples back to Earth in the 2030s, for analysis using more complex instruments than can be brought to Mars today.
On the other hand, a new scientific study has revealed for the first time details of an asteroid rich in precious metals, a step that will help to know the forms that the minerals take in this star.
Source link
