For the 4th time Curiosity’s drill fails to penetrate marker layer
Click for original image.
For the fourth time this past weekend Curiosity’s drill was unable to penetrate the hard rock of what scientists have labeled “the marker layer”, a distinct feature seen at approximately the same elevation at many places on the flanks of Mount Sharp on Mars.
The image to the right, cropped and reduced to post here, shows that the drill was once again only able to drill a eighth to a quarter inch, not enough to gather samples for testing.
This was our fourth attempt to drill this marker band, and we gave it our best shot from both a geology and engineering perspective. Unfortunately these rocks do not want to cooperate – they’re hard and they weather into resistant and recessive beds which make them very challenging to drill. So the team made the difficult decision to get back on the road, without a drill sample from this location
Click for interactive map.
The rover was then programmed to travel about 300 feet south to another spot on the marker layer. This new location is indicated by the blue dot on the map to the right.
Whether the science team will make another attempt to drill into this tough geological layer, indicated by the arrows on the overview map, is not clear at the moment, as the rover is now only a short distance from the southern edge of the layer. From here it could quickly climb up, continuing its journey along its planned route (as indicated by the red dotted line). I suspect, however, if the science team sees a good flat spot conducive to drilling at this location they will try again. The marker layer was one of the mission’s long term major geological targets prior to launch, and to leave it without at least one drill success would be a great disappointment.
The Curiosity team however has generally shown perseverance in these drill efforts. When Curiosity had similar drill issues as it crossed Vera Rubin ridge, the team tried and failed several times to drill, moved on off of the ridge, and then when they had another opportunity to drive downhill again to try again, they did so, finally achieving success. I suspect this determined spirit will compel them to apply the same determination here.
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In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
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Click for original image.
For the fourth time this past weekend Curiosity’s drill was unable to penetrate the hard rock of what scientists have labeled “the marker layer”, a distinct feature seen at approximately the same elevation at many places on the flanks of Mount Sharp on Mars.
The image to the right, cropped and reduced to post here, shows that the drill was once again only able to drill a eighth to a quarter inch, not enough to gather samples for testing.
This was our fourth attempt to drill this marker band, and we gave it our best shot from both a geology and engineering perspective. Unfortunately these rocks do not want to cooperate – they’re hard and they weather into resistant and recessive beds which make them very challenging to drill. So the team made the difficult decision to get back on the road, without a drill sample from this location
Click for interactive map.
The rover was then programmed to travel about 300 feet south to another spot on the marker layer. This new location is indicated by the blue dot on the map to the right.
Whether the science team will make another attempt to drill into this tough geological layer, indicated by the arrows on the overview map, is not clear at the moment, as the rover is now only a short distance from the southern edge of the layer. From here it could quickly climb up, continuing its journey along its planned route (as indicated by the red dotted line). I suspect, however, if the science team sees a good flat spot conducive to drilling at this location they will try again. The marker layer was one of the mission’s long term major geological targets prior to launch, and to leave it without at least one drill success would be a great disappointment.
The Curiosity team however has generally shown perseverance in these drill efforts. When Curiosity had similar drill issues as it crossed Vera Rubin ridge, the team tried and failed several times to drill, moved on off of the ridge, and then when they had another opportunity to drive downhill again to try again, they did so, finally achieving success. I suspect this determined spirit will compel them to apply the same determination here.
Readers!
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. Your support allows me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
I can not wait until we get a real AI tool up there.
Like a real human.
That’s not a carbide drill bit?
Weighs too much or costs too much…..I know, on a billion dollar mission….
I seem to remember some experimentation where rocks were made much harder by baking the water out of them. I searched the web looking for data on this but to no avail.
Ring any bells?
Its not the hardness of the rock.
I have used a coring drill do drill through large quartz rocks used as aggregate in cement. Took forever but it worked.
The problem here is that the drill is on a long arm and gets no leverage. In fact I am not even sure if its own weight is allowed to push on the drill head.
They didn.t sharpen it