Meet the Mars Samples: Comet Geyser (Sample 24)

Meet the 24th Martian sample collected by NASA's Mars Perseverance rover – "Comet Geyser," a sample taken from a region of Jezero Crater that is especially rich in carbonate, a mineral linked to habitability. When the rover used its abrasion bit to grind away the surface of the rock, cameras showed interesting and diverse textures. It also spotted silica and carbonate, minerals that scientists know have the highest potential to preserve signs of ancient life on Earth. Could it have preserved signs of ancient life on Mars?

As of early April 2024, the Perseverance rover has collected and sealed 24 scientifically selected samples inside pristine tubes as part of the Mars Sample Return campaign. The next stage is to get them to Earth for study.

Considered one of the highest priorities by the scientists in the Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey 2023-2032, Mars Sample Return would be the first mission to return samples from another planet and provides the best opportunity to reveal the early evolution of Mars, including the potential for ancient life. NASA is teaming with ESA (European Space Agency) on this important endeavor.

A key objective for Perseverance's mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet's geology and past climate, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, as well as be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith (broken rock and dust).

Read about all the carefully selected samples: 
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/mars-2020-perseverance/mars-rock-samples/

Learn more about the Mars Sample Return campaign: https://mars.nasa.gov/msr

TRANSCRIPT

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MARS ROCK SAMPLES

SAMPLE 24: COMET GEYSER

LOCATION: BUNSEN PEARK, MARGIN UNIT

Samantha Gwizd: Sample 24 is called “Comet Geyser,” and we collected it from the “Bunsen Peak” rock on the Margin Unit.

The Comet Geyser sample is really exciting for several reasons. This rock is dominated by silica and carbonate. These phases are known on Earth to be good at preserving biosignatures.

Carbonate is a phase that forms in association with fluids such as water, which is really important in our search for evidence for past life on Mars.

It’s still a little bit of a mystery what this rock is. There are interesting textures that could be consistent with either an igneous rock or a sedimentary rock.

SAMANTHA GWIZD
GEOLOGIST & SCIENCE OPERATIONS - MARS PERSEVERANCE ROVER

And that’s what makes it so exciting to us as scientists is because we get to put our thinking caps on and really try to solve this puzzle.

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