Mars Rover Laser Spectroscopy to be Improved at Pitt

Pitt researcher hopes to improve NASA's Mars Rover

About Bobby Kerlik

Tribune-Review Staff reporter Bobby Kerlik can be reached via e-mail or at 412-320-7886.

TribLIVE Mobile | Contact us
More Tribune-Review

Related .pdfs

Graphic details facts and mission of Mars Rover.

Can't view the attachment? Then download the latest version of the free, Adobe Acrobat reader here:

By Bobby Kerlik

Published: Friday, September 28, 2012, 12:01 a.m.Updated 3 hours ago

Instrument location diagram of the Mars Curiosity Rover

(Sources: NASA, Wikipedia.org)

A University of Pittsburgh researcher plans to use a $1.12 million grant to improve the type of laser technology used on NASA’s Mars Rover.

 

The method, called laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, or LIBS, also can be helpful to the Department of Homeland Security, said Kevin Chen, co-principal investigator of the study.

 

“For example, radioactive material, you can use the laser to peel back layers of soil if it’s underneath. Or if you want to inspect a certain site where people developed chemical weapons, this would be the way to detect that,” said Chen, 38, who teaches electrical engineering at Pitt. “It can also be useful in mining or with environmental pollution, if you want to detect that.”

More - Link >>> http://triblive.com/news/allegheny/2681606-74/laser-mars-chen-rover-technology-defense-department-detect-grant-improve#axzz27mz4VjSV

Source: Pittsbugh Tribune-Review.

gaw

Glenn A. Walsh, Project Director,
Friends of the Zeiss < http://friendsofthezeiss.org >
Electronic Mail - < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
SPACE & SCIENCE NEWS, ASTRONOMICAL CALENDAR:
< http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/#news >
Twitter: < http://twitter.com/spacewatchtower >
Facebook: < http://www.facebook.com/pages/SpaceWatchtower/238017839577841?sk=wall >
Blog: < http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/ >
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh:
< http://www.planetarium.cc >
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago:
< http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com >
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear:
< http://johnbrashear.tripod.com >
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries:
< http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc >
* Civil War Museum of Andrew Carnegie Free Library:
< http://garespypost.tripod.com >
* Duquesne Incline cable-car railway, Pittsburgh:
< http://inclinedplane.tripod.com >
* Public Transit:
< http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/transit >