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Curiosity, Mars Rover, Drills at Aberlady! Adapted from Information by The American Geophysical Union and The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Scientists working with Curiosity, the Mars rover, have been excited to explore a region called "the clay-bearing un i t " s i nce before the spacecraf t launched. The rover finally tasted its first sample from this part of Mount Sharp when it drilled a piece of bedrock nick- named "Aberlady". The rover's dri l l chewed easily through the rock, which was so soft, the drill didn't need to use its percussive technique. This was the mission's first sample obtained using only rotation of the drill bit. The Aberlady sample will give the team a starting point for thinking about the clay-bearing unit. Over the course of a year, several more drilling operations are planned, which will help the team understand what makes this region different from the ridge behind it, and an area located higher on the mountain with a sulfate signal. The team recently analyzed two targets with ChemCam (chemistry and camera) - the inside of the drill hole (Aberlady) and a nearby bedrock target Mayar. They had to determine if a powdered rock sample had been collected, and whether it was behaving as expected. Small portions of the sample were dropped onto the workspace on the SAM (sample analysis at Mars) inlet cover. Using Mastcam (mast camera), they took images before and after these drop-offs, which helped them char- acterize their ability to deliver portions of the sample to the rover’s laboratories. A few interesting observations were made - the drilled block lifted up slightly as the drill was retracted, there might be some evidence of a horizontal calcium sulfate (gypsum) vein within the drill hole, the drill went into the rock easily, and the drill tailings appeared to clump more than usual. Some concern was expressed by instrument engineers and scientists about whether this outcrop may have penetrated into a weak underlying layer, preventing enough of the sample from making its way up into the drill stem for later drop off to CheMin (chemistry and mineralogy) and SAM. The rover used a sample portion for the CheMin analysis to get a better under- standing of the material. Initial results looked great, meaning CheMin received enough sample, and the team did not need to deliver more material. So, the team dumped the rest of the sample on the ground where they could analyze it with Curiosity’s remote sensing instruments. The team collected APXS (alpha particle x- ray spectrometer) of the dump pile with two offset observations to better under- stand any compositional variations. They also performed another CheMin integration to further refine the mineralogical analyses for Aberlady. With time at Aberlady coming to a close, the team focused on refining their understanding of the composition of local rocks and drilled material. ChemCam took measurements of the drill hole, and accompanying MAHLI (Mars hand lens imager) images will be used to characterize a potential vein within the drilled rock. ChemCam also targeted the edge of a large bedrock chunk, which appeared to be uplifted during drilling. The search for the next drill target has already started. The team discussed two different options which are near the current workspace. These targets were weighed against the option to head back toward a site they already passed or to do a small walkabout to scout out other promising bedrock outcrops. While the next drill target may only be a few feet away, the team is looking forward to wrapping up activities at Aberlady and moving on to their next workspace. Courtesy of the American Geophysical Union. New & Used Bits, HDD Bits & Tools, Drag Bits & Wings, Bolt-On Drag Bits, Reverse Circulation Tools, Hole Openers, Claw Bits, Stabilizers, Subs, Custom Tooling & Welding, Hammer Bits, Drill Collars, Pipe Wipers, and Drill Pipe. Office: (661) 834-4348 Rod Henderson / Eran Henderson 661-201-6259 • 661-330-0790 sales@bitcobits.com www.bitcoinc.us 14 OCTOBER 2019 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® The SQ submersible pump from Grundfos Pump Corporation is extremely compact and ideal for small or restricted boreholes. At just 2.9 inches in diameter and weighing 14.8 pounds, it fits all wells three inches or larger. It offers a number of motor protection and wear-reducing features which make it a good choice for res- idential wells, irrigation systems, or groundwater lowering. The SQ pump is suitable for both continuous and intermittent operation for a variety of applications and can be installed vertically or hor- izontally. Low current draw and soft start allows use of smaller gauge wire compared to traditional four-inch motors, which can reduce the overall cost of installation. Grundfos Pump Corporation is a Valued WWDR Advertiser. ENV