Although the deployment of the James Webb telescope into space garners considerable attention, NASA is not forgetting its other missions. Meanwhile, on December 29, 2021, its rover Perseverance managed to collect a new sample from the Red Planet, NASA reported Jan. 7.

This is his sixth collection from Martian rock (and his seventh specimen collection). However, this time the robot faces a difficulty. , Looks like pebble sized debris is preventing my robotic arm from moving the tube for sealing/storage “, can we read on the twitter account @NASAPersevere, at which NASA speaks to its rover in the first person.

What’s wrong with this sample?

The problem arose when the sample tube and the drill bit with the sample inside had to be moved from the drill (which is at the end of the rover’s arm) to the carousel (on the rover frame). Unusual resistance was registered at this level. Additional data and images were obtained to help the responsible team assess the situation. It took a week for the elements to fully understand the concern.

It was then decided to remove the drill bit and tube from the carousel, as well as detach the arm from the carousel. New pictures were taken confirming there was some debris.” the size of a pebble », which are placed in the carousel. According to NASA, it is likely that these were fragments of drilled rock, which may have fallen from the tube at the time of carrying the drill bit.

Will this debris need to be removed to continue sampling? For now, NASA is taking the time to see if they need to be evacuated, and if so, how to go about it. , When the engineering challenge is millions of miles away (Mars is currently 215 million miles from Earth), it’s worth taking your time and being thorough., NASA concluded in its press release. that’s what we’re going to do, ,

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