In 2024, NASA is set to answer some of the most pressing questions about Mars and its potential to support liquid water on its surface. To do this, they are working with the most advanced robotic rover, named “Perseverance”, which landed on Mars in 2021. With the help of SuperCam, a laser instrument used for experiments on Mars, Perseverance is exploring the red planet in search of evidence that could revolutionize our understanding of the planet’s past and present.
Noureddine Melikechi, a member of the science team for SuperCam and the Dean of Kennedy College of Sciences, is one of the key figures behind these groundbreaking explorations. He has been involved in numerous scientific studies and experiments aimed at uncovering the mysteries of Mars.
SuperCam uses laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) to analyze the chemical and mineral composition of Martian rocks and soils by firing powerful infrared laser pulses at them. This cutting-edge technology has already made significant discoveries, such as evidence of flash floods on Mars and the presence of igneous rocks in Jezero Crater instead of sedimentary rocks from river delta deposits.
As part of his role with SuperCam, Melikechi works closely with researchers from institutions like Los Alamos National Laboratory, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and Caltech to analyze data transmitted from Mars to Earth for further study and exploration. Through these innovative technologies, NASA is closer than ever before to unlocking some of the planet’s greatest secrets and uncovering its potential for supporting microbial life in the past.
The discovery made by Perseverance rover has opened up new avenues for research into Martian geology and climate. Scientists are now able to study not only rocks but also soil samples brought back by Perseverance rover which contains organic compounds that were produced by ancient life forms or cosmic rays hitting Martian surface.
Overall, NASA’s mission to explore Mars continues to be one of great importance as it brings us closer to understanding if life once existed on another planet or if it was even possible for life to exist there at all. The work done by scientists like Noureddine Melikechi will continue to push boundaries in what we know about our own planet as well as paving way for future manned missions to Mars.
In conclusion, NASA’s Perseverance rover equipped with Supercam instrument is bringing new insights into how liquid water might have existed on Martian surface through analyzing chemical composition
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