The Perseverance rover provides updates during a challenging ascent on Mars.
The NASA rover Perseverance has sent an update from Mars, where it is currently in the most challenging phase of its journey so far.
NASA's Perseverance rover is currently undergoing a significant phase of its mission on Mars, ascending the edge of Jezero Crater. This stage, considered the most ambitious and difficult since its arrival on the red planet in 2021, began in August. In an update via its social media, the rover shared details about its journey, stating: “My journey to the edge of Jezero Crater has been challenging. As seen in this image from my rear Hazcam, I am dealing with steep and slippery terrain. However, thanks to my team and my autonomous navigation system, I am avoiding major hazards while slowly making progress.”
The image shows one of the six wheels of the rover alongside the tracks it has left during its climb. Additionally, Perseverance mentioned that it has encountered several points of interest on its way to the summit and that the team at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is particularly excited about an area called Witch Hazel Hill, located beyond the crater's edge. This zone contains the oldest Martian crust the rover is likely to encounter during its mission.
The rover is facing slopes of up to 23 degrees, rising around 1,000 feet (305 meters). In these three and a half years, Perseverance has primarily been exploring the floor of Jezero Crater and an ancient river delta, a site chosen by NASA because it was, in the past, a large lake that may have hosted microbial life. So far, the rover has been collecting rock cores for later analysis, which could help determine if any form of life ever existed on this distant planet.
