Rock Abrasion Tool
E476454
The Rock Abrasion Tool is a grinding device on NASA’s Mars rovers used to remove surface layers from Martian rocks so their fresh interiors can be analyzed by scientific instruments.
Statements (40)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
Mars rover instrument
ⓘ
grinding device ⓘ planetary science instrument ⓘ scientific instrument ⓘ |
| allows | access to unweathered rock material ⓘ |
| alsoKnownAs | RAT NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| associatedWithProgram | NASA Mars Exploration Program NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| capability | to grind several millimeters into rock surfaces ⓘ |
| category |
Mars surface exploration equipment
ⓘ
spacecraft hardware ⓘ |
| countryOfOrigin |
United States of America
ⓘ
surface form:
United States
|
| designedBy | Honeybee Robotics NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| designedFor | harsh Martian environmental conditions ⓘ |
| developedForMission | Mars Exploration Rover mission NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| enables |
in-situ geochemical analysis of Martian rocks
ⓘ
microscopic imaging of fresh rock surfaces ⓘ |
| environment | Martian surface ⓘ |
| field |
astrogeology
ⓘ
planetary geology ⓘ |
| firstUsedIn | 2004 ⓘ |
| function |
to brush and clean rock targets
ⓘ
to grind away outer rock surfaces ⓘ |
| missionRole | sample preparation tool ⓘ |
| mountedOn | robotic arm ⓘ |
| operatedBy | NASA ⓘ |
| operationalMode | remote controlled from Earth ⓘ |
| partOf | instrument suite on Mars Exploration Rovers ⓘ |
| purpose |
to expose fresh rock interiors for analysis
ⓘ
to remove surface layers from Martian rocks ⓘ |
| spaceAgency | NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| status | retired from active use with end of Spirit and Opportunity missions ⓘ |
| testedOn | terrestrial rock analogs ⓘ |
| usedOn |
Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Mars Exploration Rover Spirit NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| usedOnBody | Mars NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| usedWith |
Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Microscopic Imager NERFINISHED ⓘ Mössbauer spectrometer NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| uses |
abrasive pads
ⓘ
rotating grinding heads ⓘ |
Referenced by (5)
Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.
subject surface form:
Spirit
subject surface form:
Opportunity