Mars Science Laboratory Sample Acquisition, Sample Processing and Handling Subsystem: A Description of the Sampling Functionality of the System after being on the Surface for Two Years.

Abstract:

The Sample Acquisition/Sample Processing and Handling (SA/SPaH) subsystem for the Mars Science Library (MSL) is a rover-based sampling system. SA/SPaH consists of a powdering drill and a scooping, sieving, and portioning device mounted on a turret at the end of a robotic arm. Curiosity rover preformed several sample acquisitions and processing of solid samples during its first year of operation. Material were processed and delivered to the two analytical instruments, Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) and Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM), both of which required specific particle size for the material delivered to them to perform their analysis to determine its mineralogy and geochemistry content. In this presentation, the functionality of the system will be explained along with the in-situ targets the system has acquire and the samples that were delivered.