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Subscribe to RSSScientists plan to analyze the pyramid-shaped rock that's nicknamed "Jake." NBC's Brian Williams reports.
The first rock that NASA's Curiosity rover will touch for science's sake on Mars is a pyramid-shaped chunk that's been named in honor of a top engineer who worked on every one of NASA's rover missions — but passed away just days after Curiosity's landing.
Curiosity's study of the rock, dubbed "Jake Matijevic," will dominate the next few days of the rover's operations on Mars, just as its observations of Martian mini-eclipses dominated the past few days.
Jake the rock, which measures about 10 inches (25 centimeters) tall and 16 inches (40 centimeters) wide, isn't all that exotic. It seems to consist of garden-variety basalt, similar to the first Martian rock that NASA's Spirit rover examined eight and a half years ago. And that's exactly the point, according to Caltech's John Grotzinger, project scientist for the Curiosity mission. Jake will provide a good yardstick for sophisticated instruments such as the Alpha Proton X-Ray Spectrometer, or APXS, and the laser-zapping ChemCam analyzer.
By matching up the chemical readings from the different instruments, Curiosity's science team will be able to confirm that the findings from the fancy-schmancy ChemCam are consistent with the readings from the APXS, an upgraded version of a device that was included on the Spirit and Opportunity rovers. Grotzinger told reporters today that it's an opportunity to compare "something which is tried and true with the latest and greatest new technology."
ChemCam can focus on areas that are less than a millimeter (0.04 inch) wide, while the APXS' best resolution ranges around 1.5 centimeters (0.6 inch).
Grotzinger estimated that the testing could begin on Friday — which is the Martian day, or sol, after tomorrow ("solorrow," he quipped). It could take a couple of sols for the rover to reach out its 7-foot-long (2.1-meter-long) robotic arm and use the APXS as well as the fine-resolution Mars Hand Lens Imager, or MAHLI. The rover might have to back up a bit to give the rock a proper zapping with ChemCam's laser. The flashes of light from the tiny laser blasts will be analyzed by an onboard spectrometer to determine the rock's elemental composition.
Remembering Jake
Richard Cook, project manager for the $2.5 billion Mars Science Laboratory mission, said the rock's name pays tribute to Jacob Matijevic, a leading engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory who was involved in NASA's rover missions since Mars Pathfinder and the Sojourner rover in 1997. Matijevic was a Chicago native who earned his Ph.D. in mathematics and came up with the Matijevic Theorem, which was once described as "one of the most beautiful results of recent years in commutative algebra."
Matijevic's obituary in the Chicago Tribune notes that he came to JPL in 1981 and took on a variety of assignments. Eventually, he came to specialize in systems engineering for the Mars rover designs as well as rover surface operations. "He was probably one of the top one or two experts on surface operations here at JPL," Cook said.
Matijevic played a key role in the Spirit and Opportunity rover missions, which were originally planned to last just 90 days on Mars. Grotzinger recalled that Matijevic once said "if this rover lasts six months, it'll probably last six years."
"He seems to have come pretty close," Grotzinger observed.
The engineer switched over from Opportunity to the Mars Science Laboratory mission, but passed away at the age of 64 on Aug. 20, after battling respiratory problems, the Tribune reported.
Grotzinger said Matijevic would have loved dealing with the complexities involved in studying the rock that's named after him. "All that activity and all those considerations are what honor Jake Matijevic so well," he said.
The chief aim of Curiosity's two-year primary mission is to analyze Mars' geology and surface chemistry and determine whether the planet could have been potentially habitable in ancient times. After studying Jake's memorial rock, Curiosity is due to move on to an area known as Glenelg, where three types of geological formations come together.
Since its landing on Mars on Aug. 5, the six-wheeled rover has covered more than half of the quarter-mile (400-meter) distance to Glenelg, and its cameras are getting a better view of the place. Grotzinger said the pictures show thin bands of dark rock that appear to alternate with lighter-toned rock. "As we get closer in to the Glenelg area, we'll understand better and better what these areas are," Grotzinger said. Curiosity is expected to get to the area in a couple of weeks, he said.
NASA / JPL-Caltech / Univ. of Ariz.
This map shows the route driven by the Curiosity rover through the mission's 43rd Martian day, or sol (Sept. 19). By Sol 43, Curiosity had driven about 950 feet (290 meters). The area known as Glenelg is indicated by a red dot and label.
NASA / JPL-Caltech / MSSS
A scan of the Martian terrain looking toward Glenelg reveals areas of light and dark rock.
NASA / JPL-Caltech / MSSS
An animated GIF image shows Phobos crossing over the sun, as seen by NASA's Curiosity rover.
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Messages from mini-eclipses
The Curiosity team is also planning to receive more pictures of the partial solar eclipses that the rover's high-resolution Mastcam system has observed over the past week. Mark Lemmon, a science team co-investigator from Texas A&M University, said close analysis of the imagery could provide insights into the interior structure of Mars and its two moons, Phobos and Deimos.
Mastcam took hundreds of pictures when Phobos made two passes over the sun's disk, and again when Deimos made one pass. Such transits occur multiple times during a short season, and then they don't occur again for nearly one Earth year. Lemmon explained that the timing of the eclipses could be compared with past sightings to produce precise measurements of how the moons' orbits have changed due to Mars' gravitational tides.
"We can't go inside Mars, but we can use these to tell how much Mars is deformed when the moons go by," Lemmon said. "So we measure the transits very precisely [and] we get information on Mars' interior structure."
Some high-resolution images from Phobos' first transit were sent down to Earth over the weekend, but most of the imagery is still saved in the rover's computer memory on Mars, awaiting the right opportunity for transmission, Lemmon said.
Phobos and Deimos have irregular shapes, and the prevailing wisdom is that they're both asteroids that were pulled into orbit by Mars' gravitational pull. Phobos averages 14 miles (22.2 kilometers) in width, and Deimos is roughly 8 miles (12.6 kilometers) wide. Deimos circles Mars at a distance of 14,580 miles (23,460 kilometers), while Phobos is much closer (5,800 miles, or 9,400 kilometers). Phobos is gradually coming even closer to Mars, which makes the moon's orbit unstable over the long term: One of these days, it will break up into pieces and perhaps produce a ring of debris around the Red Planet.
Fortunately, that day isn't expected to come for 10 million to 15 million years. "Curiosity will be safe for a little while," Lemmon said.
More about Mars:
- How a rover on Mars is blazing a trail on Earth
- Martian moon bites into the sun
- Spheres spark new Martian mystery
- Cosmic Log archive on the Curiosity mission
Alan Boyle is NBCNews.com's science editor. Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's Facebook page, following @b0yle on Twitter and adding the Cosmic Log page to your Google+ presence. To keep up with Cosmic Log as well as NBCNews.com's other stories about science and space, sign up for the Tech & Science newsletter, delivered to your email in-box every weekday. You can also check out "The Case for Pluto," my book about the dwarf planet and the search for new worlds.
Leave a Comment:
That's one good looking rock. Sorry Jake but your about to be lased. We must find out exactly what you are. An inanimate object, debris from out of our solar system or kin to Marvin The Martian. Now take a deep breath Jake this won't hurt one bit.
How could you spell "inanimate" right, but you blew "you're" and wrote "your" instead?
How can you question a simple and common grammar error in a public comment forum? Are you truly this ignorant that you require an actual answer? Are you unaware of the "You're Your Conundrum"?
I with Warren, thar to many peple writ'n here that dont spel write. and its bothern me.
Another thing I noticed is normally people are overly posting about the government can't do anything right but I haven't seen it here, so far, about this and other missions.
Alan Boyle,
My hat is off to any science writer with the journjalistic courage to use "fancy-schmancy." Kudos for good communication.
On it, government does not do everything wrong, just an awful lot of stuff. And some of that stuff is seriously wrong, such as illegal wars. One good thing does not undo a zillion bad ones..... but enjoy this good thing, ok?
Wouldn't it be the other way around, you want to compare the latest fancy technology against the tried and true? The APXS has already been to Mars. It is the baseline, or I think that's what was meant there. So you're trying the new technology to see if it returns different readings than the instrument that you know is probably going to return the correct information. You make it sound like the APXS is somehow in question.
I see what you're saying, Brother Bradshaw. I was trying to keep the sentence parallel with Grotzinger's quote, but it could give the wrong impression. You're correct in saying that the APXS is the relatively known quantity, and they want to see whether the newfangled ChemCam produces results that are consistent with that known quantity. I'll turn the sentence around and hope that makes the message clearer.
Alan, it amazes you subject yourself to these arm chair critics, You are doing a fine job and these back seat drivers are trivial. I guess that's one aspect of you that people like though :)
All I know for sure that everything on Mars is very boaring and that's the way it's supposed to be as long as the robot is ok :)
This mission is going to be very boaring with very brief exciting events if they pan out :) haha the main thing is the robot is still working. and most of it will boaring to anyone except the most devote marsology kids :)
We need to sen something up there to compare the second reading of the first reading of the rock so we have a 3rd reading of the rock that came from who knows where in the universe, if even from this universe. What would that cost? hum or maybe we should give all that money to the poor people in america or give it to health care.
of course what dave is really saying is "why don't I get some?????"
john, I would expect that a real journalist, like the one we have here (Alan), who does actual research for his posts, would be happy to hear constructive criticism from the beneficiaries of his posts.
As I teacher who wishes to improve, I encourage criticism from my students.... but I seldom get it. Apparently I cannot convince them that no sort of retribution will result. More experienced teachers tell me that's the norm.
"All I know for sure that everything on Mars is very boaring..."
What? Wait, they've seen wild pig...?? Pumba made it to Mars? Where's Timon?
I agree with Alan (Thanks Alan BTW) and NASA... it would be a good base line.. They have "readings" from before and they want to see "how close" a new set of readings years apart will be similar. A good side by side comparison with no "doubt" of the APXS or any other system. Now personally I don't thing they will find anything substantial (except confirmation that the planet was wetter in the past) but there will be no question that IF they find something "shocking" there will be no doubt of the carefulness and validity of the result. Slow and steady will win this race and vindicate pushes for further exploration... you go guys.
How sad about the timing of Jake's passing. I think they could have picked something else to honor the man besides a rock, unless NASA was trying to make the statement that Jake was as solid as a rock, in which case this was an incredibly clever thing to do. You gotta love those space geeks....
Who is "Jake"? :) I am sorry people die too, but don't know that one.
Take a look at the Martian landscape and you will determine that there are limited choices: rock, pebble, sand-grain. I'd settle for "rock".
I was thinking the timing of his passing was fortunate. I mean if I was going to die soon, and I had worked my butt off on this rover and the new landing method that by no means was a certainty, I think my one wish would be to see it land before I go. I'm glad he was able to see it.
Handsome rock indeed :) Our sincerest condolences to Jake who passed away... we are forever in your debt.
nice article, as usual. I can only imagine that here on terra firma, practically all the surface rocks were picked up by humans and others long, long ago. Still, mars has some neat looking geological formations, I am still preoccupied with the recent studies of oppy over at it's site!!...looking at the fin rock formations, I can't help but wonder if someone did not stack those three rocks, and flipping through the photo settings (gamma etc.) I can't help but notice the one patch of rock, obvious sandstone, looks squared, almost as if someone had tilled it so, and, to boot, not only does a rock or something stick up on the far right corner, it almost looks like a small petrified tree.....I do hope they publish the data from these experiments, measurements etc asap. It is no fun getting regurgitated data.....meanwhile, looking forward to oscy's stop over at the next destination.
My God that's my pet rock a Martian stole from me 40 years ago!
Well clearly that rock doesn't pull its own weight, otherwise it would be at work. Must be part of the 47%. Bazinga
another reason why it will be lazered and put to work!
All of this is so fascinating. I love space exploration and I can't wait til we launch our first manned flight to Mars.
dont you think we should feed americas hungry first?
terry.....they get food stamps
Terry, next time you buy yourself a lottery ticket, or a new TV or computer or iphone or other gadget, or anything else you don't need, why don't you ask yourself why you're not giving that money to charity instead?
That's one rock that was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Is this the first time an earthling has probed an alien?
Figures, barely there a month and a native gets shot, violence follows us everywhere.
I am going to sound stupid if I ask this, but who cares. I have always wondered why and where these rocks come from just spewn around, by the looks of it, all over the surface. Do they come from the ground? From space? From meteor impacts? Is that where they rested from wind storms? Doesn't seem as though there is a mountain near by for them to fall from. I mean if you look at some places on earth you should find places that are similar with it's surroundings and a jagged rock just sitting in the middle of a dessert or salt bed would look a little strange. I really want to know and would appreciate a response. Thank you.
Great question. Mars was created by the same "accretion event" that created the earth.
The solar system was created by the sun. That much we know, after, or before that event, we are not too sure what happened.
:)
Not a bad question. I was under the impression Curiosity was exploring an impact crater (Gale crater to be exact), it's possible this was just part of the bedrock that was ejected on impact.
Though isn't basalt typically identified with volcanic regions?
Now I want to know :)
Yes, Tymaxx, basalt is an igneous rock so it was created from volcanic activity on Mars and not dropped as a meteorite from somewhere else. Basalt is also prevalent as bedrock often at the bottom of bodies of water on earth. Since we are under the assumption that Mars was once covered by oceans, how it got there could lead to several clues of Mar's history. In any case, it isn't just a rock. Every rock, pebble, and grain of sand is another piece of the puzzle.
One question nags at me...attention is given to video feeds and chemical analysis...does the rover have any audio recording ability to give us an idea if\what there are any sounds on the planet? Seems to me that it would be a relatively inexpensive addition...just a thought.
What about robotically setting up a telescope on mars to peer back at the solar system from there?
Since Mars has a lot of wind storms and dust devils and temperature swings, there could be some interesting sounds there, but would have little scientific value compared to all of the other testing that they chose to send. Space on the rover is extremely valuable real estate and the cost per once of material in fuel and other costs make any extras beyond the core mission and survivability in that terrain luxuries we can't currently afford. It's actually quite amazing (even with the best technology) how many laboratory pieces of equipment were able to be fit in such a small space as it is. Just a few years back, it would've take something the size of a truck just for the instruments alone.
Curiosity was already pushing the limits on size and weight which is why they needed the parachuting lander and crane approach to get it to the surface. Now that we know that type of approach did work quite well, even though it had never been tried before, future probes may be larger with more goodies attached.
Don't you know why there is no sound? Because they don't want you to hear the director in the back ground saying Action take 5 Mars rock roll em CUT CUT dim the lights Jack
Actually, there's no sound because there's no one there to hear it... :o
think that theory applied to falling trees......
Hello everyone, Barnacle Bill here, you all remember me, right?
Of course you don't.
But I was a bona fide celebrity once. That was 15 years ago. I was a rock on the Martian surface, the first to be examined by the Sojourner rover. I was loved and admired for my barnacle-like protuberances and andelite composition. My fame spread around the world. Children were named after me.
But that was long ago. Today my celebrity is a hollow shell, my Wikipedia page classified "a stub". How do you think that makes me feel? Now, asphalt gets laid more often than old B.B.
I wish Curiosity the best of luck; I really mean that. I would just like to add a caution in the name of young Jake and other yet-to-be discovered features on the Martian planetary surface: fame is fleeting.
Yours from Desolation Row, B. Bill.
Is Mars weather influenced by the sun as the earth's weather is? Or is it more influenced because of it's tilt?
The sun influences its weather, although Mars only receives about half the solar energy that we do...
And so now we know when Mars attacks they got lots of rocks to throw at us, kind a blows the away the Movie with Jack Nicholson When Mars attacks
Jake the Rock is cute. LOL.
I hope they don't hurt the little martin Faro that lives in the pyramid, that would make him angry, very angry indeed!
Hope the rock is still there come morning. Would be scary if it was to get up and run away.
Curiosity laser "ZAP!", martian rock takes off running "YIPE YIPE YIPE!"
Its just cool. Curiosity on Mars. We are seeing color pictures of Mars, Amazing what humans can do when they put thier minds to.
But we still haven't enlightened ourselves to providing every human with the right be healthy.
how can being healthy be a "right" when said people overeat, smoke, eat unhealthy foods, etc.?
Give me the steering wheel. I'll show you things much more exciting than this little rock.
I know in this type of new frontier mission that you need to take things slow and calculate every outcome. Three days to extend the arm? Really? I know that it's so slow because of power usage or maybe NASA is afraid that the little robot will scratch itself and get an infection but three days? I want to see teams of guys in hot rod sand rails racing around the planet collecting stuff and jumping hills and craters. Now that is out of my system. NASA is doing a great job and I am an idiot.
This is truly amassing that we can see and get that clear of pictures of objects that small on Mars. Wonderful, truly wonderful!
Now they are giving rocks names?? Oh yeah, nothing wrong with our scientists. Or it might be because they have pet Rocks at home. Or rocks in the head.
only one person with rocks in their head, and he belongs back in the jungle