NASA’s Perseverance Views Dust at Neretva Vallis

Description This 360-degree look at Neretva Vallis within Mars’ Jezero Crater was stitched together using 217 images acquired by the rover’s Mastcam-Z on May 20, 2024, the 1,155th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. While it is a wind-swept dusty vista today, billions of years ago it was home to a river channel that fed fresh water into […]

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  1. What are the physical and chemical properties of the dust identified on Mars?: Perseverance identified that Martian dust contains fine particles (<2.5 micrometers) and ultrafine particles (~100 nanometers). Chemically, these particles are enriched in iron, sulfur, phosphorus, and silica, and contain reactive compounds like perchlorates that are known to cause cellular damage and disrupt thyroid function.
  2. How do these dust characteristics impact spacesuit design and crew safety?: Ultrafine dust particles exhibit strong adhesion to organic polymers like Teflon and Vectran, commonly used in spacesuit outer layers. Because these particles are small enough to reach the lungs, enter the bloodstream, or potentially travel to the brain via the olfactory nerve, NASA is utilizing these data to design better airlocks, suitports, and material coatings to minimize crew exposure.

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