Perseverance Rover searches life signatures in Mars’ rocks using X-ray spectrometer HD

On March 19, 2021 NASA’s Perseverance Rover send new Mars images of searching of life (organic molecules) in Red Planet’s rocks. The vehicle used for it two instruments: SHERLOC and PIXL. SHERLOC allows fine-scale detection of minerals, organic molecules and potential biosignatures. PIXL measures the chemical makeup of rocks at a very fine scale. Both instruments mounted on the turret at the end of the robotic arm. The Planetary Instrument for X-ray Lithochemistry is called PIXL. PIXL has a tool called an X-ray spectrometer. It identifies chemical elements at a tiny scale. PIXL also has a camera that takes super close-up pictures of rock and soil textures. It can see features as small as a grain of salt! Together, this information helps scientists look for signs of past microbial life on Mars. SHERLOC uses cameras, spectrometers, and a laser to search for organics and minerals that have been altered by watery environments and may be signs of past microbial life. Credit: nasa.gov, NASA/JPL-Caltech, NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU Source for NASA’s Perseverance Mars mission: https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/spacecraft/rover/ #mars #perseverance #life