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Focus on… ChemCam

©  Thales
During the early 2000’s, the NASA imagined an ambitious project called Mars Science Laboratory (MSL09), which implies a very high technical level from industrial companies involved, to make possible:

- a better understanding of the geological history of Mars

- a study of the past and present habitability

- an evaluation of the biological potential of the environment, search water signs.... And life traces!

- the preparation of an inhabited flight to Mars around 2030

Those stakes will soon become a reality thanks to the ChemCam laser designed by the Land & Joint Systems of the Thales group!

The vision to develop a revolutionary instrument to analyse Martian rock will soon become a reality
The rover which includes ChemCamDesigned to ultimately operate for two years on Mars after a 10-month voyage through space, the Thales laser has already demonstrated impressive performance, including energy delivery of 30 millijoules per pulse across a temperature range of -30 to +30°C, and the ability to withstand extremely hostile radiation and dust environments. Its ultra-compact size and low weight meet the requirements and constraints of space applications. Based on the principle of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), the ChemCam remote sensing instrument will perform real-time analysis on rocks at distances of 1 to 9 metres. Developed by Thales, this technology is a pioneering innovation for space applications. ChemCam will fire a laser at rocks and analyse the composition of the vaporised material. With its ability to perform extremely rapid analysis, it will also serve as a guide to help evaluate potential areas of interest for the MSL09 mission. This dual function will give ChemCam a major role on the NASA mission.




 
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