{"id":146929,"date":"2021-08-25T08:00:02","date_gmt":"2021-08-25T18:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=146929"},"modified":"2022-09-15T13:24:45","modified_gmt":"2022-09-15T23:24:45","slug":"mars-rover-team-samples","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2021\/08\/25\/mars-rover-team-samples\/","title":{"rendered":"<abbr title=\"University of Hawaii\">糖心Vlog官方<\/abbr> Mars rover team helps acquire samples of Red Planet"},"content":{"rendered":"<span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 3<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><div class=\"responsive-video-wrap-post\"><figure class=\"wp-block-embed wp-block-embed-youtube is-type-video is-provider-youtube epyt-figure\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"><div class=\"epyt-video-wrapper\"><iframe  id=\"_ytid_61806\"  width=\"676\" height=\"676\"  data-origwidth=\"676\" data-origheight=\"676\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/4YD4hVjo9L4?enablejsapi=1&origin=https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu&rel=0&autoplay=0&cc_load_policy=0&cc_lang_pref=&iv_load_policy=1&loop=0&fs=1&playsinline=0&autohide=2&theme=dark&color=red&controls=1&disablekb=0&\" class=\"__youtube_prefs__  no-lazyload\" title=\"糖心Vlog官方 Mars rover team helps acquire samples of Red Planet\"  allow=\"fullscreen; accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen data-no-lazy=\"1\" data-skipgform_ajax_framebjll=\"\"><\/iframe><\/div><\/div><\/figure><\/div>\n<p>University of <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Hawai&#699;i<\/span> at M&#257;noa scientists are currently exploring Mars via a car-sized robot known as the <a href=\"https:\/\/mars.nasa.gov\/mars2020\/\">Mars 2020 Perseverance<\/a> rover. Perseverance is the most sophisticated rover <abbr title=\"National Aeronautics and Space Administration\">NASA<\/abbr> has ever sent to the Red Planet, and the Mars 2020 team are helping acquire samples of rocks from its landing site, the floor of Jezero Crater, for return to Earth by a future mission.<\/p>\n<p>After collecting samples and characterizing the lithology (the types of rocks) of the crater\u2019s floor, Perseverance will head West to investigate the deposits of an ancient river delta, which formed early in Mars\u2019 history when the crater contained a lake.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_146946\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-146946\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/manoa-soest-mars-rover-sample-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"robotic arm examining rocks\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-146946\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/manoa-soest-mars-rover-sample-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/manoa-soest-mars-rover-sample-1024x577.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/manoa-soest-mars-rover-sample-130x73.jpg 130w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/manoa-soest-mars-rover-sample-768x433.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/manoa-soest-mars-rover-sample-1536x866.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/manoa-soest-mars-rover-sample.jpg 1916w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-146946\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The robotic arm on <abbr>NASA<\/abbr>\u2019s Perseverance rover reached out to examine rocks in an area on Mars. (Photo credit: <abbr>NASA<\/abbr>\/<abbr>JPL<\/abbr>-Caltech)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&ldquo;When we\u2019ve finished in this particular area, we\u2019re going to head over to the delta front,&rdquo; said <strong>Sarah Fagents<\/strong>, a researcher at <abbr>糖心Vlog官方<\/abbr> M&#257;noa\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.higp.hawaii.edu\/\"><span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Hawai&#699;i<\/span> Institute of Geophysics and Planetology<\/a> (<abbr>HIGP<\/abbr>) and volcanologist with the <a href=\"https:\/\/mars.nasa.gov\/mars2020\/spacecraft\/instruments\/mastcam-z\/\">Mastcam-Z<\/a> camera team. &ldquo;Those deposits were laid down in a lake environment, and they might be the location of some of the best potential biosignatures, which is the key driver of this mission, to seek out the signs of [ancient] life.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Related <em><abbr>糖心Vlog官方<\/abbr> News<\/em> story: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2021\/02\/19\/new-chapter-mars-exploration\/\"><abbr>糖心Vlog官方<\/abbr> scientists begin new chapter in Mars exploration<\/a>, February 19, 2021<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Returning a sample of a lava flow or ash deposit would allow researchers to date the sample and determine an age for those deposits, which in turn allows them to more accurately date other surfaces on Mars, through a technique known as <a href=\"https:\/\/sservi.nasa.gov\/articles\/video-the-lunar-crater-chronology\/\">crater chronology<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;If we can find a lava flow or an ash deposit in Jezero, we can sample that deposit and bring back a sample to Earth in the future. And in our labs on Earth, we can date radiometrically (test) those samples and get an absolute age constraint on the deposits of Jezero Crater,&rdquo; said Fagents.<\/p>\n<h2>Driving on Mars<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_146943\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-146943\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/manoa-soest-mars-rover-sample-2-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"drill hole on mars\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-146943\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/manoa-soest-mars-rover-sample-2-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/manoa-soest-mars-rover-sample-2-130x73.jpg 130w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/manoa-soest-mars-rover-sample-2.jpg 676w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-146943\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Perseverance\u2019s drill hole for first sample collection attempt. (Photo credit: <abbr>NASA<\/abbr>\/<abbr>JPL<\/abbr>-Caltech)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The team has been using a newly enhanced auto navigation system, which allows the rover to drive on its own. Auto navigation makes 3D maps of the terrain ahead, identifies hazards and plans a route around any obstacles without additional direction from controllers back on Earth.<\/p>\n<p>Using auto navigation allows the rover to drive longer distances in a day so the team can explore more of the terrain and acquire samples of diverse rock types.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The auto navigation on the rover means that we can drive farther in a single sol, which is a martian day, which is really useful for this mission because we\u2019re on a tight schedule to explore as much of the crater as we can,&rdquo; said <strong>Eleni Ravanis<\/strong>, a <abbr>HIGP<\/abbr> <abbr title=\"doctor of philosophy\">PhD<\/abbr> student and also a member of the Mastcam-Z team.<\/p>\n<h2>First 180 martian sols<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_146942\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-146942\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/manoa-soest-mars-rover-eleni-sarah-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"two women smiling\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-146942\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/manoa-soest-mars-rover-eleni-sarah-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/manoa-soest-mars-rover-eleni-sarah-130x73.jpg 130w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/manoa-soest-mars-rover-eleni-sarah.jpg 677w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-146942\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">From left: Sarah Fagents and Eleni Ravanis<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>After landing on Mars in February, the first 100 Martian sols were devoted to instrument checkouts, helicopter operations and initial science observations. The rover traveled short distances to test drive and instrument capabilities, drop off shields and covers, and deploy the helicopter for its historic flights. Since then, researchers have been working on their first science campaign devoted to acquiring samples, characterizing rocks and investigating the crater floor deposits.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It\u2019s so exciting to be able to see, for the first time, places that we\u2019ve only seen from orbit before. So these are places that we\u2019ve never seen close up, no one has seen close up before,&rdquo; said Ravanis. &ldquo;So it\u2019s always really exciting to get these images back and share it with the team.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<h2><abbr>糖心Vlog官方<\/abbr> cutting-edge research<\/h2>\n<p>This mission is the first stage of an international, multi-agency, decade-plus long <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jpl.nasa.gov\/missions\/mars-sample-return-msr\">program<\/a> to bring samples from Mars back to Earth. Involvement in missions like Mars 2020 enhances the reputation of <abbr>糖心Vlog官方<\/abbr> as an R1 research university, which continues to conduct cutting-edge research at the forefront of space exploration.<\/p>\n<p>Work on the Mars 2020 mission contributes to the broader range of exciting research and educational initiatives in Earth, planetary and space sciences at <abbr>糖心Vlog官方<\/abbr>. Research directly benefits the education of undergraduate students, providing programs such as <abbr>HIGP<\/abbr>\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.higp.hawaii.edu\/index.php\/teaching\/epet-certificate-program\/\">Earth and Planetary Exploration Technology undergraduate certificate<\/a>, and the College of Engineering\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/manoa.hawaii.edu\/aeroeng\/\">aerospace engineering program<\/a>, which are taught by faculty with experience in instrument design, active missions and analysis of Earth and planetary data sets.<\/p>\n<p>These programs are training the future workforce in <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\u2019s\">Hawai&#699;i\u2019s<\/span> growing aerospace industry, and equipping students with the skills needed to address key problems faced by the state and nation.<\/p>\n<p>This work is an example of <abbr>糖心Vlog官方<\/abbr> M&#257;noa\u2019s goal of <a href=\"https:\/\/manoa.hawaii.edu\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/manoa-2025-strategic-plan.pdf#page=25\">Excellence in Research: Advancing the Research and Creative Work Enterprise<\/a> (<span class=\"small-text\"><abbr title=\"Portable Document Format\">PDF<\/abbr><\/span>), one of four goals identified in the <a href=\"https:\/\/manoa.hawaii.edu\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/manoa-2025-strategic-plan.pdf\">2015&#8211;25 Strategic Plan<\/a> (<span class=\"small-text\"><abbr title=\"Portable Document Format\">PDF<\/abbr><\/span>), updated in December 2020.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_146944\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-146944\" style=\"width: 676px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/manoa-soest-mars-rover-sample-3.jpg\" alt=\"mars rover drilling\" width=\"676\" height=\"381\" class=\"size-full wp-image-146944\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/manoa-soest-mars-rover-sample-3.jpg 676w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/manoa-soest-mars-rover-sample-3-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/manoa-soest-mars-rover-sample-3-130x73.jpg 130w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 676px) 100vw, 676px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-146944\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">llustration depicts NASAvs Perseverance rover operating on Mars. (Photo credit: <abbr>NASA<\/abbr>\/<abbr>JPL<\/abbr>-Caltech)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Mars 2020 team are helping acquire samples of rocks from its landing site, the floor of Jezero Crater, for return to Earth by a future mission.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30,12],"tags":[170,1467,1363,1558,92,174,9,56],"class_list":["post-146929","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-research","category-video","tag-hawaii-institute-of-geophysics-and-planetology","tag-manoa-excellence-in-research","tag-manoa-research","tag-mars-rover","tag-school-of-ocean-and-earth-science-and-technology","tag-space","tag-uh-manoa","tag-video-2","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/146929","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=146929"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/146929\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":147003,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/146929\/revisions\/147003"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=146929"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=146929"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=146929"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}