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在火星耶泽罗陨石坑边缘探索多时后,NASA“毅力号”火星车终于迎来一次久违的收获。10 月 24 日(火星日 Sol 2018), rover 的钻头成功切入一块被命名为"Singita"的岩石,完成采样。这是“毅力号”时隔超过一年采集的首个新岩样,也使其样本收藏总数进一步充实。更耐人寻味的是,这个最新的样本,很可能属于毅力号所有收藏中最古老的岩石之一。
从“硬骨头”到新目标:100 米外的转机
此次采样背后有一段曲折。此前,“毅力号”团队对一处名为"Badger Peak"的岩石进行了磨蚀分析,发现其硬度太高,钻头无法有效取芯。但科学团队仍坚信这类岩石的采样价值——它是一种辉长岩,由富钙斜长石和辉石晶体构成的火成岩,对理解火星地壳演化具有独特意义。为放弃并非选项,团队决定另寻同类目标。
“毅力号”随后行进约 100 米,抵达另一片浅色岩石区域。视觉与化学数据分析证实,这里的岩石成分与"Badger Peak"高度相似,正是理想的辉长岩候选。这一次,团队做了更周全的准备:选择表面更平整、更利于钻头稳定器抵压的相邻岩石,并换用了磨损程度更低的取芯钻头。多管齐下,钻头最终成功切入岩石约 3.1 厘米——以 rover 名字所代表的"毅力"品质,完成了这次艰难的采样。
【关键数据】
- 样本钻探深度: 3.1 厘米(1.2 英寸)
- 寻找替代目标的行进距离: 约 100 米(330 英尺)
- 距上次采样间隔: 超过 1 年
- 累计磨蚀实验次数: 66 次

最新样本,或是最古老岩石
科学价值是团队执着于辉长岩的根本原因。岩石纹理显示,"Singita"很可能形成于火星地壳深处,此后经历至少一次、也可能多次大型撞击事件的改造与搬运,最终暴露于地表。换言之,它可能携带着火星深部地壳的“原始档案”,其形成年代或早于毅力号此前采集的绝大多数沉积岩样本。对于以寻找远古生命迹象为核心目标的毅力号任务而言,这类样本为研究火星早期地质环境提供了另一条重要路径。
配合此次采样,“毅力号”还完成了第 66 次成功的磨蚀实验,对采样点旁边的"Pumbe"区域进行了分析。来自亚利桑那州立大学 Mastcam-Z 团队的学生合作者 Tasha Coelho 在任务更新中指出,新磨蚀斑与此前"Badger Peak"的外观高度相似,进一步印证了两处岩石的同源关系。这些磨蚀数据将与岩芯样本互为补充,帮助科学家在样本返回地球前就对岩石成因形成初步判断。
采样征程仍在继续
最新任务状态报告开篇即是"毅力号在火星上保持健康稳定",航天器状态为"名义状态"。这辆已在火星服役五年多的 rover,依然是火星样本返回(Mars Sample Return)计划链条中至关重要的一环——其收藏的每一管岩芯,未来都可能通过后续返回任务送回地球实验室做精细分析。
从长期看,"Singita"的加入让毅力号的样本组合更加多元化:既有湖相沉积岩,也有火成岩与深部地壳岩石。这种组合对于重建耶泽罗陨石坑乃至火星更大区域的历史演化图景,价值不可低估。随着 rover 继续向陨石坑边缘推进,更多磨蚀与采样机会还在前方,这批可能改写火星地质认知的样本,最终能否顺利踏上归途,仍取决于后续返回任务的推进节奏。
出处:Newest Sample, Oldest Rock?
英文原文Explore This Section Perseverance Home Mission Overview Rover Components Mars Rock Samples Where is Perseverance? Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Mission Updates Science Overview Objectives Instruments Highlights Exploration Goals News and Features Multimedia Perseverance Raw Images Images Videos Audio More Resources Mars Missions Mars Perseverance Rover Mars Curiosity Rover Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mars Odyssey More Mars Missions Mars Home NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover acquired this image of the rock sample “Singita” inside the rover’s coring bit using its left Mastcam-Z camera. The image was acquired on Oct. 24, 2026 (Sol 2018), at a local mean solar time of 12:56:57, shortly after the coring operation. NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU Written by Tasha Coelho, Mastcam-Z Student Collaborator at Arizona State University Nov. 1, 2026 Perseverance’s most recent abrasion “Pumbe” bears a striking resemblance to an earlier abrasion, “ Badger Peak .” That’s no coincidence. As previously reported , that rock had a hardness too high to core. However, the team felt strongly that it was worth the effort to add a gabbro, an igneous rock made mostly of calcium-rich plagioclase feldspar and pyroxene crystals, to Perseverance’s sample collection . In search of a new local gabbroic candidate to sample, Perseverance traveled about 100 meters (330 feet) to a different patch of light-toned rocks . Indeed, visual and chemical data from the light-toned rocks in the new workspace revealed a composition similar to that of “Badger Peak.” NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover acquired this image of the abrasion patch “Pumbe” using its SHERLOC WATSON camera, located on the turret at the end of the rover’s robotic arm. The image was acquired on Oct. 17, 2026 (Sol 2011), at a local mean solar time of 16:14:35. The abrasion patch is about 5 centimeters (2 inches) across. NASA/JPL-Caltech To improve the odds of collecting a sample this time, the team made prudent decisions: choosing a neighboring rock with a flatter surface better oriented for the drill stabilizers to press against, and using a coring bit with less wear. At last, in a display of the rover’s namesake quality, the drill made it about 3.1 centimeters (1.2 inches) into the rock. Sample acquisition activities followed, making “Singita” the rover’s first sample in more than a year. While Singita is the newest sample, it may be among the oldest rocks in Perseverance’s collection . Textures in the rock suggest that it likely formed deep in the crust and was modified and excavated by at least one, and possibly multiple, large impact events. Perseverance has now completed its 66 th successful abrasion and collected an intriguing new sample alongside it. The latest mission status report opens with “Perseverance remains healthy and stable on Mars” and lists “Spacecraft Status: Nominal.” Translation: the rover remains capable of continued fruitful exploration, with many more abrasions to come. Want to read more posts from the Perseverance team? Visit Mission Updates Want to learn more about Perseverance’s science instruments? Visit the Science Instruments page Explore More 2 min read Rubies on Mars? Article 13 minutes ago 4 min read Curiosity Blog, Sols 5043-5049: Preparing to Drill at ‘Nazca’ Article 2 weeks ago 2 min read Tinga’s Tale Article 2 weeks ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA All Mars Resources Explore this collection of Mars images, videos, resources, PDFs, and toolkits. Discover valuable content designed to inform, educate, and inspire,… Rover Basics Each robotic explorer sent to the Red Planet has its own unique capabilities driven by science. Many attributes of a… Mars Exploration: Science Goals The key to understanding the past, present or future potential for life on Mars can be found in NASA’s four… Mars Perseverance Rover The Mars Perseverance rover is the first leg the Mars Sample Return Campaign’s interplanetary relay team. Its job is to…