Perseverance Rover's SHERLOC Instrument Faces Technical Glitch on Mars

NASA engineers are troubleshooting a dust cover malfunction that hampers the rover's laser analysis capabilities, while other mission activities continue.

NASA's Perseverance rover faces a technical glitch with the SHERLOC instrument, impacting its ability to conduct laser-based rock analysis on Mars.
The malfunction involves one of two dust covers on SHERLOC, which has been partially open since January 6, hindering scientific data collection.
Despite the issue, the rover's WATSON camera, part of SHERLOC, continues to function, allowing for imaging microscopy.
Engineers are actively troubleshooting the problem, including adjusting power to the cover's motor, in hopes of restoring full functionality.
Perseverance's mission remains robust, with other instruments capable of overlapping tasks, ensuring continued scientific exploration of Mars.