Exploration of Mars with the ChemCam LIBS Instrument and the Curiosity Rover

Discipline: Environmental Control/Life Support
Webcast Air Date: October 25, 2016

The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Curiosity rover landed on Mars in August 2012, and has been exploring the planet ever since. Dr. Horton E. Newsom will discuss the MSL’s design and main goal, which is to characterize past environments that may have been conducive to the evolution and sustainability of life. He will also discuss Curiosity’s science payload, distance imaging, and spectroscopy, along with analytical capabilities and direct discoveries of the Chemistry & Camera (ChemCam) instrument. ChemCam is the first Laser Induced Breakdown Spectrometer (LIBS) to operate on another planetary surface and determine the chemistry of the rocks and soils.