SAM stands for Sample Analysis at Mars, a miniature chemistry lab housed inside the Curiosity rover. It consists of a mass spectrometer, a gas chromatograph, and a tunable laser spectrometer designed to detect organic compounds and measure isotope ratios. By baking soil and rock samples and analyzing the released gases, SAM helps scientists determine if Mars ever had an environment capable of supporting microbial life.
Heard on the job
We're ready to drop the drilled powder into the SAM inlet for the overnight bake.