WorldWide Drilling Resource

23 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® OCTOBER 2014 Mars Drilling Project Continues Adapted from Information by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has been using the Curiosity Mars rover to drill formations in an effort to study the planet’s past or present ability to sustain microbial life. The latest target, a sandstone slab called Windjana, after a gorge in Western Australia, would be the third rock drilled and the first that is not mudstone. The first two rocks drilled and ana- lyzed by Curiosity were mudstone slabs neighboring each other in Yellowknife Bay. Those two rocks provided evidence of an ancient lakebed environment with key chemical elements and a chemical ener- gy source indicating conditions billions of years ago was favorable for microbial life. The inspection, designed to aid a decision on whether to drill at Windjana, includes observations with the camera and X-ray spectrometer at the end of the rover's arm; use of a brush to remove dust from a patch on the rock; and readings of composition at various points on the rock with an instrument that fires laser shots from the rover's mast. Curiosity's hammering drill collects powdered sample material from the inte- rior of a rock, then prepares and delivers portions of the sample to onboard lab- oratory instruments. From planned drilling at Windjana, or some nearby location on sandstone, Curiosity's science team hopes to ana- lyze the cement holding the sand-size grains in the rock together. "We want to learn more about the wet process that turned sand deposits into sandstone here," said Curiosity Project Scientist John Grotzinger, of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. "What was the composition of the fluids that bound the grains together? That aqueous chemistry is part of the habit- ability story we're investigating." Understanding why some sand- stones in the area are harder than others could also help explain major shapes of the landscape where Curiosity is working inside Gale Crater. The erosion-resistant sandstone forms a capping layer of mesas and buttes. It could even hold hints about why the crater has a large layered mountain named Mount Sharp at its center. In addition to studying the planet’s potentially habitable environment, NASA's Mars Science Laboratory Project is also assessing major changes in the planet’s environmental conditions. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech, built the rover and manages the project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. Ronnie’s Real World A n o t h e r month has come and gone and low and behold here it is fall! Hope the elections went the way you wanted them to. So, as I was alluding to on page 6 of this month’s issue, a very special lady took the time out of her VERY busy schedule, to drop a special e-mail to me. Here are a few lines from it... Ronnie - On behalf of all of us here at Geoprobe Systems ® ...from the welders to the engineers to the assem- bly team to the sales team ... thank you so much for your nice remarks in the last issue of WWDR regarding our Open House Event...We have really great people here, so when you take the time to write something super about us, I need you to know that we’ve noticed and appreciate it... Also, really enjoyed your “High Hopes -vs- Reality” this month. Not only is it interesting to review how WWDR all came together, but to see it was no easy road. You’ve worked hard, and you work hard. It shows. You’ve kept your head high, your sights on the right target, and kept professionalism at the forefront. Good for you. What is so special about this is NOT what she says about us here at WWDR , but the fact, through all her own personal struggles at home with an ailing husband, she took the time to send a caring message... “Life is pre- cious,” she said as she went on to tell of her grandson (affectionately she calls him “My little guy”) coming to visit his Grandpa Don, who had his third heart attack last week. And then, as I sent that e-mail around the office, I received one back from our own Kathy. She said, “Gayle’s e-mail says somuch about who SHE is even though the e-mail is complimentary to us.” It was like a chain of feelings. As I said on page 6 herein, make someone smile and share the love. You will see what a truly wonderful world this is. And I am thankful this really is, Ronnie’s Real World! see you on the trail ...