It could vaporize a rock and identify its minerals from the spectrum of light they emitted, or drill a sample and tease apart its chemical constituents.

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Eventually, though, the drill will go deep enough to push rock powder into the drill's sample-gathering chamber.

BBC: Curiosity Mars rover spins its rock drill

The drill will produce a powdered sample that can be put in the robot's on-board laboratories for analysis.

BBC: Curiosity Mars rover deploys its rock brush

The image was taken after the sample was transferred from the drill to the rover's scoop.

FORBES: First Curiosity Drilling Sample in the Scoop

The rover will drill into the block and cook a sample from it.

MSN: New Mars rover hunts for life by 'cooking' rocks

The plan to drill through the Antarctic ice-sheet to sample the hidden waters of Lake Ellsworth in December involves BAS and NOC and other bodies and is led by a professor from Bristol University.

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This image from NASA's Curiosity rover shows the first sample of powdered rock extracted by the rover's drill.

FORBES: First Curiosity Drilling Sample in the Scoop

So, the command was given to drill a second hole that was deep enough to push some cuttings into the tool's sample acquisition chamber.

BBC: Curiosity Mars rover takes historic drill sample