Mars rover Curiosity celebrates its 10th anniversary
Mars rover Curiosity has been exploring the Red Planet for 10 years (NASA)
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) This week, they announced the discovery of rocks made of pure sulfur on Mars.
Yellow sulfur crystals in a pure form have never been seen before. MarsAccording to NASA, previous discoveries have been sulfur-based minerals or a mixture of sulfur and other materials.
Sulfur discovered by Curiosity. (NASA/JPL-California Institute of Technology/MSSS / NASA)
This crystal is from NASA Mars Rover Curiosity The space agency said the rover broke open the rock, exposing the crystals, and then discovered an area of what scientists believe to be sulfur-rich rocks.
“Finding a rock block made of pure sulfur is like finding an oasis in the desert,” said Ashwin Vasavada, Curiosity project scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. California.
When NASA’s Curiosity explored the Gediz Canyon strait in May, it captured images of light-colored rocks near the rim. These rings, also called halos, are similar to patterns seen on Earth when groundwater leaks into rocks along cracks, causing chemical reactions that change color. (NASA/JPL-California Institute of Technology/MSSS / NASA)
“It can’t be there, so now we have to explain it,” she added. “Discovering strange and unexpected things is what makes planetary exploration so exciting.”
The discovery could be evidence that liquid water existed on Mars at some point in its past, and NASA says that the area where the crystals were found, Gediz Valley, may have been carved out by flowing water.
The Mars rover Curiosity captured this image of Gediz Canyon on March 31. The area is thought to have been formed by a massive flood of water and debris, which created piles of rock within the waterway. (NASA/JPL-California Institute of Technology/MSSS / NASA)
Budget constraints force NASA to explore new ideas for Mars sample return mission
The Mars rover Curiosity was launched in 2011 with the mission of determining whether Mars is suitable for supporting life. Microbial LifeNASA said it will “continue its exploration by studying the Martian rock record.”
