NASA’s Perseverance rover is embarking on a new challenge on Mars as it begins climbing to the top of a crater after spending 3 1/2 years exploring the bottom.
The goal is to ascend 1,000 feet (305 meters) to the rim of Jezero Crater to collect rock samples. Since its arrival on Mars in 2021, Perseverance has gathered 22 rock core samples from the crater floor, which was once submerged in water.
These samples could provide valuable insights into the ancient climate of Mars and whether there was any past microbial life. NASA is looking into ways to transport these samples back to Earth for further analysis.
According to Steven Lee from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, studying the bedrock at the crater rim could offer clues about the formation of rocky planets like Mars and Earth.
However, the journey ahead will be challenging as Perseverance navigates rocky terrain and slopes with inclines of up to 23 degrees over the course of several months.
Despite the obstacles, Lee commended the rover for its resilience, having traveled approximately 18 miles (29 kilometers) so far.
The rocks at the crater’s summit may have originated from ancient hydrothermal vents, similar to those found on Earth in places like Yellowstone National Park, which are known to support microbial life.
By Adithi Ramakrishnan
