CHEM CAM MSL Curiosity

ChemCam (Chemistry and Camera complex) is a scientific instrument on board the Curiosity rover on NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission. Developed jointly by CNES, IRAP in France and Los Alamos National Laboratory in the USA, it combines a laser (LIBS) to analyze the chemical composition of rocks from a distance, and a camera (RMI) to capture precise images. Since 2012, ChemCam has been helping to study the Martian surface and better understand Mars’ past environment.