In a significant development, NASA’s Perseverance rover collected two samples from Mars’ surface on December 2, 2022, and December 6, 2022. According to its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), these samples were collected from a pile of sand and dust from the “dune.”
The space agency will return one of these samples to the planet as part of its Mars Sample Return campaign. Researchers at the agency will study the signs related to ancient microbial life. Even though most of the samples are collected by NASA for studying the rocks, the dust samples will help them to research the Martian regolith.
It will not only help researchers understand the geological processes of the planet, but will also help astronauts when the next mission is sent to Mars. It may be noted that the latest sample by NASA was collected with the help of a drill on the rover. However, the drill used by the rover looked like a spike at one side with a small hole in order to collect sand and dust. Issuing a statement, NASA’s Iona Tirona said that everything that the team has learned, be its size or shape of regolith grains, helps it to prepare for missions in the future.
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Importantly, this mission can help NASA scientists prepare better for future mars missions as well as the equipment which will be needed. The regolith can not only damage the spacecraft as well as its types of equipment, but may also harm sensitive components of instruments, resulting in the slowing down of rovers before it touches the surface of Mars.
Also, apart from affecting equipment, it can also be harmful to astronauts. Earlier, during the Apollo mission, it was found that regolith on the moon’s surface can cause harm to microscopic holes in spacesuits. The surface of Mars contains perchlorate, a toxic chemical that affects the health of astronauts.
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Issuing a press statement, Erin Gibbons, a member of the Perseverance team, said it is important to know how dust and regolith will interact with spacecraft and habitats, which will help during Mar’s further missions.