The first peer-reviewed paper including ChemCam data from Mars was published in Science today. It discusses the conglomerates found at Gale by Curiosity. ChemCam was used to reveal the specific composition of some pebbles.

http://www.sciencemag.org/content/340/6136/1068

Le premier article scientifique avec des données ChemCam martiennes a été publié dans la revue Science aujourd’hui. Il parle des conglomérats trouvés à Gale par Curiosity. ChemCam y révèle la composition de certains galets.

http://www.insu.cnrs.fr/node/4389

Curiosity is still exploring the YellowKnife Bay, which is a very interesting area. Along with the other instruments of the payload, ChemCam observes rock structures and compositions that reveal evidences for a wet environment in the past. Learn more with this press release and this press conference.

Dr Agnes Cousin who did her thesis on the calibration of the ChemCam instrument is showing where we are less than 2 hours before landing. We are all nervous and, at the same time, very excited to start the ecience investigation of a new world soon.

It is a hot afternoon today in Pasadena, CA, while we are patiently waiting for the landing. Of course it is not as hot as the heatshield when MSL enters the martian atmosphere (visit: this page). But you cannot compete with the temperature generated by the laser of ChemCam on the target rocks: almost 10,000°C. Check out how does ChemCam work.

This morning, part of the ChemCam team was with M. Yannick d’Escatha, the president of CNES (the French space agency), who insisted on the importance of the shared work between the US and France in the realization of ChemCam. Go MSL, we are almost on Mars.

Curiosity is 2 days to landing. For Curiosity Mars looks about the size of the Moon seen from Earth. The ChemCam team gets ready in Pasadena. Go MSL! Check the spacecraft location at http://eyes.nasa.gov/index.html

35 team members are gathering at the Observatoire de Paris to get ready for the landing. We are all eager to rove on Mars, zap rocks, and do good science. Stay tune: landing in 2 months.

35 membres de l’équipe ChemCam se retrouvent à Paris cette semaine pour une dernière réunion avant l’atterrissage. Nous sommes tous impatients de randonner sur Mars avec notre laser… Plus que 2 mois!

The last burn and the separation went well. MSL is talking to us! This is great we are flying to Mars.

MSL est en route pour Mars et communique avec la Terre.

We are now orbiting Earth!