
The laser and microphone atop Mars 2020, NASA's next rover - dnetesn
https://phys.org/news/2020-02-laser-microphone-atop-mars-nasa.html
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dmix
Spectrometers have always fascinated me, our ability to understand and build
tools capable of analysis right down to atoms/particles level.

I've been meaning to read up on how mass spectrometers and others work at the
detailed level. Just their ability to tell so much about various materials and
chemical compositions through automated mechanics and analysis. Being able to
remotely do it via a laser + high speed camera sounds like a massive
capability boost for planetary missions.

Sounds like a fun engineering job to develop them on the cutting edge.

> The Mars 2020 rover marks the third time this particular microphone design
> will go to the Red Planet, Maurice said. In the late 1990s, the same design
> rode aboard the Mars Polar Lander, which crashed on the surface. In 2008,
> the Phoenix mission experienced electronics issues that prevented the
> microphone from being used.

This is one big downside to working on space missions that I wouldn't miss. It
must have been heartbreaking to the developers having both the 1998 Mars Polar
lander crash with all of that equipment then having the same one fail nearly a
decade later. Hopefully everything goes well in the 2020 mission.

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m-watson
If you have a math/physics/chem background this is a good book [0]. I used it
in my grad course on spectroscopy, it does a decent job walking through the
concepts step by step. Spectroscopy is fascinating though, I used Raman
Spectroscopy for my research, the amount of information you can get out of
some lasers, mirrors, and gratings is amazing.

[0] [https://www.wiley.com/en-
us/Modern+Spectroscopy%2C+4th+Editi...](https://www.wiley.com/en-
us/Modern+Spectroscopy%2C+4th+Edition-p-9780470844168)

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dmix
I don't have a strong background in those in particular besides relearning
basic math (up to linear algebra) and taking an online course in biology. So
that one would probably be over my head.

I just want to know how everything works, it's just a matter of priority :)

The other commenters video did a pretty good overview at a basic level.

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ggm
We're going to be playing the sound track a lot, if it survives landing. The
crashed UK lander celebrating Britpop was perhaps a bit more self indulgent at
low marginal consequence (if any scientists can show their work was hindered
by the art package, I'd love to know)

Wish the UK one had made it. Silly coding error.

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onceUponADime
Stupid question: Seismographic mapping, as it is done for oil.. is out of the
question for a mars rover? If i remember right, you dig down, place a small
explosive and then plant a series of microphones..

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Accujack
It's for detecting life on Mars.

If what you fire the laser at screams in pain, it's probably alive.

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HoustonRefugee
Dude! That's mean! But it would be awesome to hear wind or other sounds on
Mars.

