Mars Science Laboratory (3of3)

CheMin, short for 'Chemistry and Mineralogy', is a powder X-ray Diffraction (XRD) instrument that also has X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) capabilities. CheMin is part of the Analytical Laboratory of the MSL rover, which is located inside the main body of the rover. CheMin will analyze as many as 74 samples delivered by the SA/SPaH system during the nominal prime mission, but is capable of analyzing many more because its sample cells can be reused for additional analyses. Each analysis may take up to 10 hours of analysis time, spread out over two or more Martian nights, although some samples may provide acceptable results in a single sol. CheMin utilizes a microfocus cobalt X-ray source, a transmission sample cell, and an energy-discriminating X-ray sensitive CCD to produce simultaneous 2-D X-ray diffraction patterns and energy-dispersive histograms from powdered samples. Raw CCD frames are processed into data products onboard the rover to reduce the data volume. These data products are transmitted to Earth for further processing and analyses.
The Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) Suite Investigation in the MSL Analytical Laboratory is designed to address the present and past habitability of Mars by exploring molecular and elemental chemistry relevant to life. SAM addresses carbon chemistry through a search for organic compounds, the chemical state of light elements other than carbon, and isotopic tracers of planetary change. SAM is a suite of three instruments, a Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer (QMS), a Gas Chromatograph (GC), and a Tunable Laser Spectrometer (TLS). The QMS and the GC can operate together in a GCMS mode for separation (GC) and definitive identification (QMS) of organic compounds. The TLS obtains precise isotope ratios for C and O in carbon dioxide and measures trace levels of methane and its carbon isotope.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• mars
• rover
• robotic
• NASA