Preparing to install APXS sensor head

Nicholas Boyd (left), a graduate student at University of Guelph in Ontario, and principal investigator Ralf Gellert prepare to install the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer sensor head during testing at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, according to the agency.

"APXS was modified for Mars Science Laboratory to be faster so it could make quicker measurements. On the Mars Exploration Rovers [Spirit and Opportunity] it took us 5 to 10 hours to get information that we will now collect in 2 to 3 hours," said Gellert, the instrument's principal investigator. "We hope this will help us to investigate more samples."