NASA’s Perseverance Mars Rover achieved a major milestone on Thursday, December 12, by climbing to the rim of Jezero Crater, reaching a vantage point dubbed “Lookout Hill.” This marks the first time the rover has ventured outside the crater since landing in February 2021, opening a new chapter in its exploration of the Red Planet.
A Historic Climb to the Crater Rim
The ascent took over three months, with the rover climbing 500 meters (1,640 feet) through steep and slippery terrain. A post on X (formerly Twitter) shared by the rover celebrated the feat:
“Status update: I’ve reached the rim of Jezero Crater! The ascent took 3.5 months and included 1,640 feet of vertical climb. It was steep and slippery – but I’m built to do hard things.”
HAVE A LOOK AT THE POST:
Steven Lee, deputy project manager for Perseverance, praised the rover’s operators for navigating the challenging terrain. “Our rover drivers have done an amazing job negotiating some of the toughest terrain we’ve encountered since landing,” he said, adding that innovative driving techniques, including driving backward, were employed to ensure success.
Why Lookout Hill Matters
Jezero Crater, formed 3.9 billion years ago by a massive impact, has long been a key area of interest due to its potential for harbouring ancient signs of life. However, the rocks examined inside the crater were primarily those left after the impact. By venturing outside the crater, Perseverance will analyse older rocks that were once buried deep beneath the Martian surface and ejected during the impact, offering a new window into Mars’ geological past.
The Northern Rim Campaign
This climb marks the start of Perseverance’s fifth science campaign, named “Northern Rim.” The rover will explore four geologically significant sites in its first year, collect samples, and traverse 6.4 kilometers during this phase. Ken Farley, project scientist at Caltech, highlighted the significance of the campaign:
“The Northern Rim campaign brings us completely new scientific riches as Perseverance roves into fundamentally new geology.”
Discoveries Beyond the Rim
After completing its investigation at Lookout Hill, Perseverance will descend the rim’s other side, called “Witch Hazel Hill,” and move toward “Lac de Charmes,” a region on the plains beyond the crater rim. This area is less likely to have been influenced by the crater’s formation, providing an opportunity for fresh discoveries.
Signs of Ancient Life on Mars
In July, Perseverance made a groundbreaking discovery, uncovering a rock sample nicknamed “Cheyava Falls” that contained organic molecules and structures potentially linked to ancient microbial life. According to NASA, the sample exhibited chemical signatures that may have been formed billions of years ago when Mars had flowing water.
As Perseverance ventures into new terrain, scientists hope its exploration will shed light on Mars’ habitability and its geological evolution, inching humanity closer to understanding the mysteries of the Red Planet.