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Another "Scoop" at Gale - Sol 63 (Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga/Lunar Explorer Italia/Italian Planetary Foundation)
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Caption NASA:"In this image, the Scoop on NASA's Curiosity Mars Exploration Rover shows the larger Soil Particles that were too big to filter through a sample-processing "Sieve" that is porous only to Particles less than 0,006" (i.e.: about 150 microns) across. After a full-scoop sample had been vibrated over the Sieve, this held-back portion was returned to the Scoop to be accessible for inspection by the Rover's Mast Camera. The image is part of the first "decontamination" exercise by the Collection and Handling for "In-Situ" Martian Rock Analysis (CHIMRA) tool on the end of the Rover's Robotic Arm, which includes the Scoop, the Sieve and other minor components.
The decontamination exercise involved scooping some Soil, shaking it thoroughly inside the Sample-processing Chambers to scrub the internal surfaces, putting it through a Sieve, dividing it into the appropriate portions and then discarding the sample. This process will be repeated 3 (three) times. The rinse-and-discard cycles serve a quality-assurance purpose similar to a common practice in geochemical laboratory analysis on Earth.
This image was taken by Curiosity's right Mast Camera (Mastcam-100) on October, 10, 2012, such as the 64th Sol, or Martian Day, of operations".
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