NASA is struggling with a problem with its Mars rover – “Perseverance” cannot use lasers. NASA wants to use the Perseverance rover to search for traces of life on Mars.
Currently, one of the two covers that prevent dust from accumulating on the lens of “Sherloc” is partially open. “With the cover in its current position, the instrument cannot use its laser and cannot collect spectroscopic data,” writes NASA. However, there is a way out for spectroscopy data: they can be collected with “Watson”, a color camera from “ Sherloc’s” camera and spectrometer.