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On the 30th of July 2020, NASA launched the Mars2020 mission. This mission, very similar to Mars Science Laboratory, consists in landing the Perseverance rover on the Martian surface in order to characterize the geology and history of Jezero Crater landing site, investigate Mars habitability, seek potential bio-signatures, cache samples for a future return to Earth, and demonstrate in-situ production of oxygen needed for human exploration.
The SuperCam instrument, an improved version of the ChemCam instrument on Curiosity rover, implements a remote micro-scale characterization of the mineralogy and elemental chemistry of the Mars surface, along with the search for extant organic materials. In addition to the elemental characterization offered by Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), Time-Resolved Raman and Luminescence Spectroscopy (TRR/L) and visible-infrared spectroscopy (VISIR) have been added for a complete mineralogical characterization of the samples. LIBS and TRR/L techniques will be exercised from the Rover calibration targets (1.5 m range) up to 7 m, whereas VISIR spectroscopy can be used on targets up to the horizon. A context color imagery capability is also implemented to place the analyzed samples in their geological context. A microphone allows recording aeolian phenomena, rover noises and the shock waves produced by the laser blasts on target up to 4 meters.
SuperCam consists of three units: the Body Unit built by the Los Alamos National Laboratory in the US, the Mast Unit built by a French consortium of 6 laboratories and CNES, and the Calibration Target Unit led by the University of Valladolid in Spain.
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