A tube of rocks that came from Mars will be opened by a planetary scientist.
There are at least 17 rock and regolith samples that are waiting for analysis on Earth. The rover has traveled about 8 miles to get them.
Since landing, the rover has been drilling and scooping up rocks and sand for transportation.
The first load was dropped this week. It was found in January of this year.
It wasn't just dropping and running. The tube had to land safely. It was done slowly. The container was removed from its belly by Perseverance.
After looking over everything with a camera, it dropped the tube onto the surface.
The sample was in a good position to be easily picked up.
All the containers Perseverance has filled will be sent to labs on Earth. The chemical and mineral properties of the samples will be analyzed by scientists.
The Red Planet's geological and atmospheric history can be reconstructed from there.
The first depot on Mars makes this exploration campaign very real and tangible. We can revisit there with samples waiting for us.
Mars is a strange place. Its history is not easy to understand. There are volcanic eruptions there. They were active a long time ago.
There are two canyons in the landscape. What made those actions happen? The planet is scarred by craters, which dig up material from the bottom. Liquid water can be seen in places on Mars. There isn't any water flowing there right now. All of it is locked up at the poles.
We don't know much about the geological history of the planet.
Look at rock samples. Ionizing rock, sandstones, mudstone, and clays can be found on Mars. There is a lot of dust and sand. When lava flowed, lakes and oceans existed, and when it all happened, all of those can be seen.
The volcanos were active a long time ago. planetary scientists can use chemical and mineralogical clues in Mars rocks to find out if they were in contact with water. Scientists should be able to figure out if and when Mars supported life.
Different rock "regimes" in Jezero Crater allow Perseverance to gather rock samples. The region was once flooded with water. It seems to be rich in clay minerals and carbonates, which are formed in the presence of water.
Mars has a record of its ancient climate. Living organisms can make carbonates on Earth.
It's not clear if those on Mars have the same life-friendly origin, but Jezero crater is a good place to sample.
From the beginning, the expedition using the tubes has been part of the program. The original plan was to have the rover gather and deliver them to the sample return landing.
The European Space Agency and NASA are working on a mission that will be launched later this decade. It will be easier to deliver the tubes if it lands in Jezero Crater. The sample transfer arm is built by the European Space Agency.
Scientists don't want anything to happen. If Perseverance isn't able to deliver, the mission has a backup plan. Scientists will send a couple of small choppers to pick up the samples.
The Ingenuity chopper has been working overtime to show scientists what a Mars chopper can do.
The rocks will be loaded into a small rocket and taken off from the surface.
Once on Mars, it will deliver them to a craft built by the European Space Agency. The rocks are expected to be in labs in 2033 for more detailed studies.
This article was published in the past. The original article is worth a read.
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