Tag Archives: ChemCam

ChemCam gets sharper autofocus

Posted on May 22, 2015 by rburnham

Tests on Mars have confirmed success of a repair to the autonomous focusing capability of the Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) instrument on NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover. This instrument provides information about the chemical composition of targets by zapping them with … Continue reading →

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ChemCam RMI: Veins in Vaqueros

Posted on December 10, 2014 by rburnham

Sol 833, December 10, 2014. The Remote Micro-Imager on Curiosity’s ChemCam takes a close look in this two-frame composite at what appear to be white mineral veins in Vaqueros, a target on the Chinle outcrop. Sol 833 raw images (from all … Continue reading →

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ChemCam: Thanksgiving on Mars

Posted on November 25, 2014 by rburnham

We just received our first data from ChemCam after a two-week break in the action for our instrument. Two weeks ago on Friday, data we received from the rover earlier in the week showed that the optical power on our … Continue reading →

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Curiosity: Chinle textures

Posted on October 31, 2014 by rburnham

Sol 794, October 30, 2014. The ChemCam profiles two different targets on the Chinle outcrop. Note the fault in the layers shown in the upper image (right). The layers in the lower image show a coarser texture than those in … Continue reading →

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Curiosity: Glassy-textured rock

Posted on August 27, 2014 by rburnham

Sol 730, August 26, 2014. Both the Mastcam and ChemCam imaged a large, grayish rock with a rounded, relatively smooth, and glassy surface. Mastcam used its 100mm lens to image the rock and its surroundings (right). ChemCam shot a mosaic … Continue reading →

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Curiosity zaps a rock, finds aluminum increases with depth

Posted on July 16, 2014 by rburnham

Flashes appear on a baseball-size Martian rock [dubbed Nova] in a series of images taken Saturday, July 12 by the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) camera on the arm of NASA’s Curiosity Mars Rover. The flashes occurred while the rover’s … Continue reading →

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ChemCam probes ‘Winnipesaukee’ rock, dust

Posted on July 2, 2014 by rburnham

Scientists used the Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) instrument on NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover in June 2014 to examine a Martian rock “shell” about one inch (two to three centimeters) across, embedded in fine-grained bedrock and with a dust-filled hollow interior.  … Continue reading →

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The sharper eye of ChemCam’s Remote Micro-Imager

Posted on March 19, 2014 by rburnham

The Mars rover Curiosity carries six “engineering” cameras: the front and rear Hazcam pairs, and the left and right Navcams. These are designed to help mission controllers steer a safe and scientifically productive course for the rover. The rover project … Continue reading →

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Curiosity raw image: Sol 554, February 25, 2014

Posted on February 26, 2014 by rburnham

ChemCam takes a shot at a layered target. This image was taken by ChemCam: Remote Micro-Imager (CHEMCAM_RMI) onboard NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity on Sol 554 (2014-02-26 06:38:17 UTC). More Sol 554 images (from all cameras), and the rover’s latest location map.

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Curiosity image: “Harrison” rock shows crystals

Posted on February 3, 2014 by rburnham

This view of a Martian rock target called “Harrison” merges images from two cameras on NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover to provide both color and microscopic detail. Curiosity inspected the rock’s appearance and composition on the mission’s 514th sol, or Martian … Continue reading →

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