First coring attempt since sol 1215, when Perseverance was still down in Neretva Vallis (~6 months ago). That attempt was clearly successful on the first try, as this MastCam image from that date readily showed. Here's a shot taken from the same angle on 1401, with no sample apparent in the tube.
It's worth recalling that this target proved to be very friable (prone to crumbling) the last time Percy interacted with it, when the sol 1375 abrasion patch was made earlier in January.
The science team must really want a sample of this stuff! I am very much looking forward to the next mission update!
Well, the atmosphere types aren't going to be unhappy with this sample, anyway. I understand they had already collected the minimum mass that was specified pre-launch, but I was sure the mission would collect more, and I can't blame the atmosphere people for asking. So I suppose having more "headspace" in this sample tube is OK.
Assuming, though, that Steve Ruff (Mars Guy) is correct about this material being created or modified by the original Jezero impact event - I wonder if this much rock sample will be enough. The very thing that makes impact breccia/melt/glass so exotic and sexy is the same thing that makes it difficult to contextualize, i.e. the stuff is a mess! It could be a big grab bag of materials from different sources, and this site is already on the edge of Nili Planum, purportedly one of the oldest surfaces on Mars.
On the other hand... if this stuff allows us to get a firm date on the Jezero impact itself... yeah, it would definitely be worth it.
As you noted the abrasion patch appeared extremely fragile, so I guess many of the team second guessed that there was a good chance the core would possibly break up with some left in the hole, or even lost while turning the drill to the horizontal position for transfer to the Cache. Fingers crossed they have enough....