In 2024, NASA is set to answer some of the biggest questions about Mars and the potential existence of liquid water on the Martian surface to support microbial life. To do this, they are working with a team of scientists led by Noureddine Melikechi, who is also the Dean of Kennedy College of Sciences.
The most advanced robotic rover ever built, named “Perseverance,” is currently exploring Mars with the help of SuperCam, a laser instrument designed for experiments on Mars. Perseverance landed successfully in 2021 inside Jezero Crater, a dried-up impact basin on Mars where a river once flowed 3.5 billion years ago. Scientists believe that the ancient deposits in the crater could hold evidence of microbial life and organic compounds that have been preserved over time.
SuperCam uses laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) to analyze the chemical and mineral composition of Martian rocks and soils by firing powerful infrared laser pulses at them. The instrument has already made significant discoveries, such as evidence of flash floods on Mars and the presence of igneous rocks in Jezero Crater instead of sedimentary rocks from river delta deposits.
Melikechi and his team are currently analyzing data transmitted from Mars to Earth for further study and exploration. Through these innovative technologies, NASA is closer than ever before to uncovering the mysteries of Mars and its potential for supporting microbial life in the past.