What scientific instrumentation can be found on a Mars rover?

Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) The three main instruments are a Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer (QMS), a gas chromatograph (GC) and a tunable laser spectrometer (TLS).

What is the Mars rover equipped with?

Curiosity’s mission is to determine whether the Red Planet ever was habitable to microbial life. The rover, which is about the size of a MINI Cooper, is equipped with 17 cameras and a robotic arm containing a suite of specialized laboratory-like tools and instruments.

What is the scientific purpose of the Mars rovers?

The scientific objectives of the Mars Exploration Rover mission are to: Search for and characterize a variety of rocks and soils that hold clues to past water activity.

What are the primary science instruments used by the Rovers?

The Ten Instruments That Mars Rover Curiosity Will Use to Investigate the Red Planet

• Radiation Assessment Detector.
• Mastcam Camera.
• MEDLI.
• ChemCam.
• Mars Hand Lens Imager.
• The Rover Environmental Monitoring Station.
• Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer.
• Chemistry and Mineralogy X-Ray Diffraction Instrument.

How do scientists study Mars?

SEIS senses seismic waves to study the crust of Mars. Meteorites impacting the surface, magma moving at great depths, or movement along a fault can all cause seismic waves on Mars.

What did the Opportunity rover discover?

Opportunity discovered tiny cavities in the rock that were similar in shape and size to rock cavities on Earth that are left behind when certain minerals are dissolved and dispersed by groundwater. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech.

How do scientists research Mars?

What are the 4 science goals for the NASA Mars mission?

The Mars 2020 mission additionally contributes to the Program’s four key science goals: Determine if Mars Ever Supported Life. Understand the Processes and History of Climate on Mars. Understand the Origin and Evolution of Mars as a Geologic System.