NASA’s Perseverance rover has successfully completed a new sample collection at Broom Point on Mars. The rover had previously sealed the Green Gardens core and was seeking to explore an area of interest identified by orbiter images showing distinct light and dark layers. At Broom Point, images captured by Perseverance confirmed the presence of these layers on the ground, which are believed to record geological events from Mars’ past.
The team conducted proximity science with rover instruments to investigate the composition and placement of the material. However, an unexpected fracture in one of the rocks required a creative solution. Engineers used WATSON, SHERLOC’s companion camera, to gather additional images of the abrasion patch, which helped them safely maneuver the instrument to collect co-located spectroscopy maps.
Despite the challenge, the rover proceeded with drilling and sealing the Main River core, an activity that went smoothly. With another core in hand, Perseverance is now headed to its next workspace, ready to face any obstacles that come its way.
Source: https://science.nasa.gov/blog/navigating-a-slanted-river