NASA's Perseverance rover has successfully concluded a challenging ascent from the Jezero Crater on Mars, marking this achievement with the release of new images and the initiation of a fresh scientific campaign.
After a prolonged and arduous climb, NASA's Perseverance rover has reached the edge of the Jezero Crater, taking a moment to appreciate the landscape. The rover captured its initial photographs from "Lookout Hill" on December 10, showcasing hills, ridges, scattered rocks, and a hazy sky. From this vantage point, the rover surveyed the crater's rim and reflected on its own wheel tracks. This accomplishment signifies the commencement of a new scientific endeavor following the rover's explorations within the crater.
NASA's Perseverance rover captured its initial view over the edge of the Jezero Crater on December 10 from a location designated as "Lookout Hill."
Having landed in the Jezero Crater in early 2021, Perseverance has since been engaged in the exploration of an ancient river delta, discovering organic molecules, and accumulating a collection of rock samples that NASA aspires to return to Earth for further examination. "Throughout the ascent of the Jezero Crater rim, our rover operators have excelled in navigating some of the most challenging terrain we have faced since our landing," remarked Steven Lee, the deputy project manager for Perseverance, in a statement from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory on December 12.
The rover also documented a view looking back down the slope of Jezero Crater, with its wheel tracks illustrating the route taken during its ascent to the rim.
The primary target for exploration is "Witch Hazel Hill," a layered outcrop deemed "scientifically significant." These layers provide insights into the historical conditions of Mars. "As we descend the hill, we will be retracing steps into the past, examining the ancient environments of Mars that are recorded in the crater rim," stated Candice Bedford, a scientist from Purdue University, regarding the mission. According to Farley, the rocks anticipated for investigation during this campaign are among the oldest discovered in the solar system, offering valuable information about early Mars and enhancing our understanding of early Earth. While both Mars and Earth are rocky planets, their developmental trajectories have diverged significantly, with Earth becoming conducive to life as we know it, whereas Mars has turned inhospitable.
A primary scientific objective of the rover is to contribute to the investigation of whether Mars may have supported microbial life in the distant past. It has identified several intriguing rock formations; however, scientists will need to conduct in-person examinations to draw definitive conclusions. In the interim, Perseverance is advancing its explorations at a higher elevation.