NASA's Perseverance Rover Unveils Martian Geology Through Kenmore Rock

NASA’s Perseverance rover has recently tackled a challenging Martian rock named “Kenmore,” revealing significant insights into the Red Planet's geological history. The rover, which landed in Jezero Crater in February 2021, is not only collecting core samples but is also utilizing advanced technology to grind into Martian rocks, thereby uncovering secrets hidden beneath their dusty surfaces. On June 3, 2025, the rover commenced its work on Kenmore, which presented unexpected difficulties during the abrasion process.

According to Professor Ken Farley, a noble gas isotope geochemist at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and deputy project scientist for the Perseverance mission, Kenmore proved to be “a weird, uncooperative rock.” He explained, “Visually, it looked fine – the sort of rock we could get a good abrasion on and perhaps, if the science was right, perform a sample collection. But during abrasion, it vibrated all over the place and small chunks broke off.” Despite these challenges, the team successfully analyzed the rock, which is the 30th specimen studied in this manner since the rover's mission began.

The primary aim of this operation is to access the unaltered interiors of Martian rocks, which are often obscured by weathered surfaces and dust. This approach allows scientists to obtain a clearer understanding of the minerals that comprise these geological formations. Previous missions, such as those conducted by the Spirit and Opportunity rovers, employed spinning grinders, while the Curiosity rover used wire brushes to clear debris. In contrast, Perseverance employs a unique Dust Removal Tool (gDRT) that utilizes nitrogen gas to effectively clear away dust without risking contamination from Earth.

Kyle Kaplan, a robotic engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, noted, “We use Perseverance’s gDRT to fire a 12-pounds-per-square-inch puff of nitrogen at the tailings and dust that cover a freshly abraded rock. Since landing at Jezero Crater over four years ago, we’ve puffed 169 times, with roughly 800 puffs remaining in the tank.” This method not only enhances the efficiency of the operation but also preserves the integrity of the samples.

Once the dust is cleared, Perseverance employs a set of sophisticated sensors to analyze the exposed rock. The rover's WATSON camera captures close-up images, while the SuperCam fires thousands of laser pulses at the abrasion area. These lasers kick up microscopic particles, which are subsequently analyzed by a spectrometer. Cathy Quantin-Nataf, a team member from the University of Lyon in France, remarked, “SuperCam made observations in the abrasion patch and of the powdered tailings next to the patch. The tailings showed us that this rock contains clay minerals, which contain water as hydroxide molecules bound with iron and magnesium – relatively typical of ancient Mars clay minerals.”

The study of Kenmore has also revealed the presence of manganese hydroxide, marking the first time this mineral has been identified during the mission. The findings from Kenmore are crucial as they provide insights that will inform future Mars missions, enabling scientists to better understand which rocks are suitable for sampling and exploration.

In a notable achievement, on June 19, 2025, Perseverance set a new record by traveling 1,348 feet (411 meters) in a single autonomous drive, surpassing its previous record by approximately 210 feet. Camden Miller, a rover driver for Perseverance at JPL, stated, “Every day operating on Mars, we learn more on how to get the most out of our rover. And what we learn today, future Mars missions won’t have to learn tomorrow.”

As Perseverance continues its explorations in Jezero Crater, the insights gained from the Kenmore rock will not only enrich our understanding of Martian geology but also play a pivotal role in shaping the strategies for subsequent missions to the Red Planet.