[meteorite-list] Lab Instruments Inside Curiosity Eat Mars Rock Powder

[Ron Baalke]

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-072  

Lab Instruments Inside Curiosity Eat Mars Rock Powder
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
February 25, 2013

PASADENA, Calif. - Two compact laboratories inside NASA's Mars rover
Curiosity have ingested portions of the first sample of rock powder ever
collected from the interior of a rock on Mars.

Curiosity science team members will use the laboratories to analyze the
rock powder in the coming days and weeks.

The rover's Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) and Sample Analysis at
Mars (SAM) instruments received portions of the sample on Friday and
Saturday, Feb. 22 and 23, respectively, and began inspecting the powder.

"Data from the instruments have confirmed the deliveries," said
Curiosity Mission Manager Jennifer Trosper of NASA's Jet Propulsion
Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.

The powder comes from Curiosity drilling into rock target "John Klein"
on Feb. 8. One or more additional portions from the same initial sample
may be delivered to the instruments as analysis proceeds.

During a two-year prime mission, researchers are using Curiosity's 10
science instruments to assess whether the study area in Gale Crater on
Mars ever has offered environmental conditions favorable for microbial
life.

More information about Curiosity is online at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/msl , http://www.nasa.gov/msl and
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/ .

You can follow the mission on Facebook at:
http://www.facebook.com/marscuriosity and on Twitter at
http://www.twitter.com/marscuriosity .

Guy Webster 818-354-6278
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
guy.webster at jpl.nasa.gov

2013-072