Listen: NASA releases first recording of laser hitting rocks on Mars

Dubai - NASA’s Perseverance records first sound of laser strikes, wind on Mars

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By Web Report

Published: Fri 12 Mar 2021, 1:36 PM

Last updated: Fri 12 Mar 2021, 2:03 PM

Any musician — or student of music — will be familiar with the sound of a click, which is used to keep timing with musical scores.

The first-ever recording of a laser hitting a rock on Mars — recently released by NASA — sounds just like that: a rhythmic click used to practice or record music.

The repeated ‘click, click, click’ sounds were recorded as NASA's Perseverance rover zapped a rock on the Red Planet with a laser and filmed it on its SuperCam instrument on Wednesday.

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This NASA image shows the Mars Perseverance rover using its onboard Navcam. The bundle of instruments known as SuperCam has collected its first samples on the Red Planet. Photo: AFP

The SuperCam, mounted on the Rover’s head and equipped with a microphone, picked up the ‘clicking’ sounds generated by the laser hitting the rock repeatedly in a rhythmic fashion. The microphone also captured the faint sounds of the Martian wind.

According to NASA, scientists will use the data that includes variations in the zapping sounds of the laser, to learn more about the geology of the Red Planet.

Web Report

Published: Fri 12 Mar 2021, 1:36 PM

Last updated: Fri 12 Mar 2021, 2:03 PM

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