Mars Curiosity X-ray Diffraction
January 9, 2013
A conventional X-ray diffraction instrument (left) is the size of a large refrigerator, in contrast to the compact size of the Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) instrument on NASA's Curiosity rover (top right) and the spin-off commercial portable instrument (lower right, orange case). Both of the more compact X-ray diffraction instruments were made possible by NASA technology innovations. The CheMin instrument is a cube of about 10 inches (25 centimeters) on each side. It is shown here in the red circle as technicians install it on the rover in the cleanroom at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
Image credit: NASA/Ames/JPL-Caltech
Topics:
Technology Internet, Mars Exploration Rover, Space technology, Spaceflight, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Mars Science Laboratory, Diffraction, Mars exploration, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Spacecraft, NASA, Unmanned spacecraft
