Instruments NASA Mars Exploration [Video]

The Chemistry and Camera tool is known as ChemCam. ChemCam’s laser, camera and spectrograph work together to identify the chemical and mineral composition of rocks and soils.

Tech Specs

Main Job

To analyze the chemical composition of rocks and soil.

Location

The laser, telescope, and camera sit on Curiosity’s mast (its “forehead”), while the spectrometer is located in its “body”.

Components

Telescope:Focuses laser and camera

Remote Micro-Imager:One of Curiosity’s “eyes,” captures detailed images of the area illuminated by the laser beam

Laser:Vaporizes rock surfaces, creating a plasma of their component gases

Spectrometer:Three spectrographs divide the plasma light into wavelengths for chemical analysis

Chemistry & Camera (ChemCam)

Laser-Induced Remote Sensing: The Laser-Induced Remote Sensing for Chemistry and Micro-Imaging instrument will identify atomic elements in martian rocks. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/LANL/J.-L. Lacour, CEADownload full image ›

Looking at rocks and soils from a distance, ChemCam fires a laser and analyzes the elemental composition of vaporized materials from areas smaller than 1 millimeter …

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