Congratulations to
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory on the successful landing of
Curiosity last night! The huge (2000 pounds!) explorer, equipped with a huge science deck, used a combination of parachutes, rockets and belaying tethers to touch down right on target, right on schedule.
![](http://7.mshcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/673506main_cheering-43_800-600.jpeg) |
Photo courtesy of NASA |
Curiosity has plenty of instruments on board, but the laser breakdown spectroscopy system is among the newer ones for a Mars mission.
![](http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/605940main_pia15103-43_800-600.jpg) |
Photo courtesy of NASA |
It works like this: zap a spot with a high intensity laser, ionize the material to a plasma, use a spectrometer to read the elemental composition from the emission spectra. Unlike the carbide teeth on a grinder wheel, lasers never get dull, so as long as Curiosity has power from its nuclear cell, the science can continue.
![](http://d3j5vwomefv46c.cloudfront.net/photos/full/631726913.jpg?key=946710&Expires=1344253023&Key-Pair-Id=APKAIYVGSUJFNRFZBBTA&Signature=xfyQW5nrMpYlpQ5HELYt%7EVjF0iHWTA7JbhLFZksASnO7Dcy3OOHQbmNpIB3PwEN4aLE4M8kOuh7KLHs9Q5NRPNn2MhrfFW9UslxvHHEUOx9V7e4JIerJckcMZdG2pCrwQtXtba-GPbWfQumyH8ly%7ESqAWYqeYDWgFQBDFhwDNxM_) |
http://twitpic.com/ag43lt/full |
Good luck, Curiosity!
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