Mars: Has Curiosity Found Signs of Life ?

On Tuesday, April 21, researchers announced that the Curiosity rover discovered new organic molecules on Mars. Be careful, however: this does not prove that life existed. While these molecules are the basic building blocks of life, they can also appear naturally, for example due to meteorites or chemical reactions within rocks. Curiosity continues its analyses to determine whether these traces are a sign of ancient biological activity or simply the result of non-living geological phenomena.

What is Curiosity looking for on Mars?

Curiosity Rover Selfie on Mars  Image Credit:  NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission explores the planet since the arrival of the Curiosity rover in Gale Crater on August 6, 2012. This 900 kg mobile laboratory studies the site to determine if this location could have hosted microbial life.

Its work follows three main areas:

• The search for signs of life: The rover tracks chemical evidence of past liquid water, an element essential for life.
• Landscape study: Curiosity analyzes the different rock layers of Mount Sharp. These strata reveal the history of the Martian climate and geology over billions of years.
• Preparation for future missions: The robot measures radiation levels on the surface. This data helps design the necessary protections for future crewed trips.

Curiosity’s Scientific Equipment

To carry out this research, Curiosity carries ten scientific instruments. These tools allow the robot to analyze rocks, detect the presence of water, and study soil composition. They divide into four groups:

The different instruments on board the Curiosity rover
NASA/JPL-Caltech

• Remote sensing tools: Located on the mast, the MastCam camera and the ChemCam laser scan the environment. The laser vaporizes part of the rock to determine its chemical composition from a distance.
• Contact tools: At the end of its robotic arm, Curiosity possesses a microscope camera (MAHLI) and a spectrometer (APXS). They examine rocks to select the best samples.
• Internal laboratories: A drill and a scoop deposit rock or soil samples inside the robot. Two laboratories, CheMin and SAM, then analyze these specimens to search for traces of organic or mineral molecules.
• Environmental sensors: Several instruments measure local weather (REMS), surface radiation levels (RAD), the presence of water underground (DAN).

3D PLUS Technological Contribution

3D PLUS equips the Curiosity rover with its miniaturized modules. These components, designed to resist extreme space conditions, ensure mission reliability.

Here are the products integrated into the heart of the device:

• Rover brain (Rover Avionics and Data Recorder):
  • SDRAM: This RAM manages real-time data processing for steering and calculations.
  • NOR FLASH: This non-volatile memory guarantees the preservation of software and onboard configurations, even after a power cycle.
• Laser analysis instrument (ChemCam):
  • RTIMS SiP: This module processes signals with reactivity to analyze the chemical composition of rocks targeted by the laser.
  • CCD Camera SiP: This component ensures the acquisition of high-resolution images, essential for the precise geological study of Martian soils.

Results 

Since its landing on August 6, 2012, Curiosity revolutionizes our knowledge of Mars. The rover confirms the past presence of liquid water and an environment favorable to microbial life. It also detects organic molecules, elements essential to biology, and establishes a precise timeline of Martian climate evolution thanks to the strata of Mount Sharp.