NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander used the motorized rasp on the back of its
robotic arm scoop during the mission's 60th Martian day, or sol, (July 26,
2008) to penetrate a hard layer at the bottom of a trench informally
called "Snow White." This view, taken by the lander's Surface Stereo
Imager and presented in approximately true color, shows the trench later
the same sol.
Most of the 16 holes left by a four-by-four array of rasp placements are
visible in the central area of the image.
A total 3 cubic centimeters, or about half a teaspoon, of material was
collected in the scoop. Material in the scoop was collected both by the
turning rasp, which threw material into the scoop through an opening at
the back of the scoop, and by the scoop's front blade, which was run over
the rasped area to pick up more shavings.
The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf
of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion
Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin
Space Systems, Denver.
