Curiosity Rover conveyed to Earth the first data on the composition of Martian soil. Managed to do it with the help of Russian neutron detector mounted on the device - that he must find water on Mars. While the search was not successful. But scientists it is not upsetting: first, the Rover had not even moved from his place, and secondly, that the whole system works, is in itself good news.

Red sand and stones - what other photo could send a Rover to the surface of the red planet? But this is not a simple stones. The cobblestones that are marked as N-165, will be next week trial target for laser gun that is installed on Curiosity. From a distance of 300 meters, it will need to post the stone dust, then to make a spectral analysis and find out what it is.

In addition to laser cannons on the Rover still have nine instruments. The most important of them - neutron detector Russian production. It should catch the water molecules in the dry Martian desert.



"The neutrons, which will take off from the generator, can go through a layer of a substance in one meter. They will enter at this depth, there will be dispersed, to deal with the substance, part of them will come out. Our detectors outgoing neutrons will register. We will analyze the output stream. Depending on what it is, how many neutrons with what energies, we will be able to assess the water content in the soil" - said Igor Mitrofanov, head of laboratory of Institute of space research.

Before sending the Rover neutron detector has passed a full course of ground tests in the laboratory of the Institute. "To the device to turn on and see how it will work, was established control and test equipment, which is a copy of the Rover. It simulates the operation of the device via interfaces power and telemetry interfaces" - said Andrey Vostrukhin, researcher laboratorii space research Institute of RAS.

So far everything is going according to plan. The device is tested after landing on Mars. No problems detected. Scientists have developed a route for Curiosity. On the space velocity of the question. Now he is in the crater Gail. Scientists suggest that there was once a lake.

Next week, the Rover will move to a certain place called Glenelg. There intersect three types of relief Martian surface. To Glenelg is 500 metres away, and Curiosity must overcome them not earlier than a month. And the search for water, the device will only deal in September, will be completed when all test validation. Then he will go to the foot of the mountain, Mount Sharp, in the heart of the dry lake.

"We see the beds of dried rivers on Mars, with its tributaries, with the banks is high and the low. This means that it looked like our planet" - said Igor Mitrofanov.

The first tests showed that the water in the Martian soil is not more than in the cement floor. But ahead two years of active searches - so program. Instruments installed on Curiosity, is able to measure about 14 thousand parameters. And the researchers hope that at least some life - or rather, its traces can be revealed.