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Curiosity goes rock hunting
Posted: 08.20.2012 at 4:19 AM
Updated: 08.20.2012 at 6:30 AM
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After two weeks of roving the surface of Mars, the Mars Curiosity rover put its large laser to the test on a Martian rock.

According to NASA, the laser was used to 'interrogate' the rock, which has been dubbed 'Coronation'.

The laser is powerful enough to turn the rock's surface into plasma, which will be researched later.
 
"Each pulse delivers more than a million watts of power for about five one-billionths of a second," said a statement from NASA.

The rock was the first of many targets, as Curiosity continues it's two year excursion on the foreign planet.

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