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yesterday

Perseverance Rover Finds Clay Minerals in ‘Kenmore’ and Sets New Autonomous Drive Record

After using its gaseous Dust Removal Tool to sample a stubborn rock, the rover extended its autonomous navigation to inform upcoming Mars missions.

NASA’s Perseverance rover uses an abrading bit to get below the surface of a rocky out-crop nicknamed “Kenmore” on June 10. The eight images that make up this video were taken approximately one minute apart by one of the rover’s front hazard-avoidance cameras. NASA/JPL-Caltech
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Overview

  • On June 3, Perseverance ground down a rock nicknamed ‘Kenmore’ in Jezero Crater using its abrading bit and gDRT to expose fresh interior surfaces.
  • SuperCam, SHERLOC and PIXL instruments detected clay minerals, feldspar and a manganese hydroxide in the abraded samples.
  • The presence of water-bound hydroxide molecules in the clay deposits offers new insights into Mars’ ancient aqueous environments.
  • On Sol 1540 (June 19, 2025), the rover drove 411 meters in a single AutoNav session, breaking its previous autonomous distance record.
  • Data from the ‘Kenmore’ analysis and extended self-driving tests will guide future Mars exploration strategies for sampling and navigation.