NASA’s Curiosity rover discovers the ‘highest amounts of clay’ ever found on Mars as scientists hunt for more evidence of water and LIFE on the red planet billions of years ago
- Large amounts of clay were found in soil samples in the Martian surface
- Two drilled cores were taken and analysed and called ‘Aberlady’ and ‘Kilmarie’
- Clay has been found before but never in such large quantities, NASA claims
- This momentous discovery was made at the area aptly known as the ‘clay-bearing unit’ on the incline at the base of Mount Sharp
Clay discovered on Mars that formed when soil mixed with water may give crucial clues to life that once lived on the now-barren planet billions of years ago.
NASA‘s six-wheeled Curiosity rover has discovered the material on the martian surface beforehand – but never in such large quantities.
Curiosity marked the occasion with an impressive selfie via its Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI), a camera on the end of the rover’s robotic arm.
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NASA’s six-wheeled robot has found clay on the martian surface beforehand but never before in such large quantities. It was also marked with an impressive selfie of the Curiosity rover via its Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI), a camera on the end of the rover’s robotic arm (pictured)
The momentous discovery was made in an area aptly known as the ‘clay-bearing unit’ on the incline at the base of Mount Sharp, a 3.4 mile-high (4.5km) mountain.
NASA’s Jet propulsion laboratory, which runs the mission, said in a statement: ‘Clay often forms in water, which is essential for life.
‘Curiosity is exploring Mount Sharp to see if it had the conditions to support life billions of years ago.’
Curiosity migrated to the region after spending time studying Vera Rubin Ridge, to the north of its current location.
Since arriving at the base of the mountain in the 96-mile-wide (155 km) Gale Crater in April it has taken two samples by drilling into the planet.
These two targets are called ‘Aberlady’ and ‘Kilmarie’ and are the 20th and 21st samples taken by Curiosity on Mars.
The rover is now slowly ascending the mountain and will study the clay in greater detail to determine if Martian conditions were ever able to support life.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, announced the fin, saying is is ‘the highest amounts of clay minerals ever found during the mission’.
Since arriving at the base of the mountain in the 96-mile-wide (155 km) Gale Crater in April it has taken two samples by drilling into the planet. These two targets are ‘Aberlady’ (pictured) and ‘Kilmarie’ and are the 20th and 21st samples taken by Curiosity on Mars
Curiosity’s selfie is composed of 57 individual snapshots taken by the rover’s Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI). The images were then stitched together into a single panorama. It is not the first selfie to be sent back from Mars by Curiosity as the robot has successfully sent one back every year since arriving on Mars in 2012. pictured, selfie from earlier this year
Curiosity analysed the samples in its internal laboratory with its CheMin chemistry and mineralogy instrument and found small traces of hematite – an iron oxide mineral that is abundant on the planet.
This was also located at its previous location in the Vera Rubin ridge.
The spectacular selfie from the surface was published by NASA on the Twitter page of the Curiosity rover itself.
Drill marks can be seen next to the left wheels of the rover, which are ‘Aberlady’ and ‘Kilmarie’.
Evidence from the rover implies there was once water on Mars, a finding which adds to a growing belief liquid water once survived on the planet.
Further investigation is needed, the scientists claim, to understand how water interacted with the rocks and affected its geology.
Curiosity’s selfie is composed of 57 individual snapshots taken by the rover’s Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI).
The images were then stitched together into a single panorama.
It is not the first selfie to be sent back from Mars by Curiosity as the robot has successfully sent one back every year since arriving on Mars in 2012.
The first was taken on October 31 2012 after 84 days on the surface and was composed of 55 separate images taken by the same camera.
Such pictures allow Nasa’s engineers and scientists to check on the health of the rover and see whether it is being effected by the thick red dust on the Martian surface.
WHAT IS THE MARS CURIOSITY ROVER AND WHAT HAS IT ACHIEVED SO FAR?
The Mars Curiosity rover was initially launched from Cape Canaveral, an American Air Force station in Florida on November 26, 2011.
After embarking on a 350 million mile (560 million km) journey, the £1.8 billion ($2.5 billion) research vehicle touched down only 1.5 miles (2.4 km) away from the earmarked landing spot.
After a successful landing on August 6th, 2012, the rover has travelled about 11 miles (18 km).
It was launched on the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) spacecraft and the rover constituted 23 per cent of the mass of the total mission.
With 80 kg (180 lb) of scientific instruments on board, the rover weighs a total of 899 kg (1,982 lb) and is powered by a plutonium fuel source.
The rover is 2.9 metres (9.5 ft) long by 2.7 metres (8.9 ft) wide by 2.2 metres (7.2 ft) in height.
The Mars curiosity rover was initially intended to be a two-year mission to gather information to help answer if the planet could support life, has liquid water, study the climate and the geology of Mars an has since been active for more than 2,000 days
The rover was initially intended to be a two-year mission to gather information to help answer if the planet could support life, has liquid water, study the climate and the geology of Mars.
Due to its success, the mission has been extended indefinitely and has now been active for over 2,000 days.
The rover has several scientific instruments on board, including the mastcam which consists of two cameras and can take high-resolution images and videos in real colour.
So far on the journey of the car-sized robot it has encountered an ancient streambed where liquid water used to flow, not long after it also discovered that billions of years ago, a nearby area known as Yellowknife Bay was part of a lake that could have supported microbial life.
