Why Curiosity Uses a Laser

Curiosity's ChemCam uses a laser to vaporize tiny amounts of rock material so the resulting light can be analyzed for chemical composition. Technology is important here because operating at Mars requires systems that can work with limited power, communication delay and harsh environmental conditions.

Mars is a world where apparently simple questions often lead to larger scientific problems. Researchers combine spacecraft images, measurements from orbit, surface observations and laboratory analysis of Martian material to build explanations that can be tested. As with all planetary science, the strongest conclusions come from multiple observations that agree with one another.

The value of studying why curiosity uses a laser is not limited to one isolated fact. Mars is a rocky planet with a long geological history, a thin atmosphere and evidence that its environment changed substantially over time. Individual observations become more useful when they are placed into that larger planetary context.