Reader Response Draft 1

The webpage “Robotic Arm” (NASA, n.d.) introduces Mars' Perseverance’s robotic arm. The robotic arm collects rock samples and stores them for analysis. The Perseverance’s robotic arm consists of scientific cameras, a drill, Gaseous Dust Removal Tool (GDRT), five degrees of freedom rotary actuators and a ground contact sensor. There are three scientific cameras, WATSON, SHERLOC and PIXL. As mentioned in the webpage “Watson” (NASA, n.d.), WATSON is used to take zoomed in pictures of targets of interest that contain signs of microbial life searched by SHERLOC. PIXL functions similarly to SHERLOC. However, it is able to identify chemical elements at a miniscule level. The rover's drill has three interchangeable drill bits. The abrader, coring and regolith bits and it penetrates into the Martian surface to collect and store rock samples according to “Robotic Arm” (NASA, n.d.). The coring and regolith bits are used to collect and store samples while the abrader bit removes the surface layer of rocks to reveal a clean, smooth surface for analysis. The GDRT  then uses nitrogen gas to reveal the inner layer of the rock for analysis (Brockie, 2021).The five degrees of freedom rotary actuators allow the robotic arm to move in five different axes. The ground contact sensor sends a signal to the robotic arm to stop its movement to prevent it from touching the ground (Robotic Arm, n.d.). The mission of the Perseverance is to search for signs of microbial life, in particular, special rocks that are known to preserve signs of life over time. The rover collects the special rocks as well as Martian soil and stores them. These samples will facilitate NASA's pursuit for discovering the past habitability of Mars.


The robotic arm of the Perseverance is the key component of the rover and is the main factor of the rover being able to accomplish its mission. 


One of the features of the robotic arm that enables it to accomplish its mission is the the scientific cameras, which are used to analyze the past habitability of Mars, and choose the most valuable samples to collect and store. Images captured by WATSON show detailed textures and grains of targets of interest (NASA,n.d.). WATSON is used to take zoomed in pictures of targets of interest that contain signs of microbial life searched by SHERLOC. PIXL functions similarly to SHERLOC. However, it is able to identify chemical elements at a miniscule level.


The drill is the other feature of the robotic arm that is key for accomplishing its mission. After analyzing potential samples, the drill located on the turret of the robotic arm penetrates into the Martian surface to collect and cache rock samples. According to the webpage "Perseverance Rover"(JPL, n.d.), when an object of interest is identified, an abrader or coring bit is selected and with a sample tube inserted inside it, the drill collects the sample by either using percussive mode (where force is applied with repeated blows) or rotary mode (where a drill bit is put under continuous pressure).


Each feature of the robotic arm is irreplaceable and while the other features of the Perseverance do contribute to the mission's success, it is undoubtedly the robotic arm that is the biggest factor for the rover to be able to accomplish its mission.








References  


Nasa, (n.d.) Mars 2020 Mission Overview https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/mission/overview/


Nasa, (n.d.) Sherloc https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/spacecraft/instruments/sherloc/


Nasa, (n.d.) Watson https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/spacecraft/rover/cameras/#WATSON


Brockie, I.(2021) Why and How Perseverance Abrades Rocks. Nasa.

https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/mission/status/327/why-and-how-perseverance-abrades-rocks/


Uckert, K., Bhartia, R. Beegle, L., Monacelli, B., Sanford, A., Burton, A., Bykov, S., Davis,  K., Fries, M., Jakubek, R., Hollis, J., Ropper, R., & Wu, Y. (2021) 

Calibration of the SHERLOC Deep Ultraviolet Fluorescence–Raman Spectrometer on the Perseverance Rover

 https://journals.sagepub.com.singaporetech.remotexs.co/doi/10.1177/00037028211013368


Xos, (n.d.) Mars 2020, Seeking evidence of Life with Micro-XRF Spectroscopy https://www.xos.com/mars-2020-seeking-evidence-of-life-with-micro-xrf-spectroscopy


Jpl, (n.d.) Perseverance Rover https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/press_kits/mars_2020/landing/mission/spacecraft/perseverance_rover/

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