Photo Credit: NASA/JPL - Caltech
After a demanding ascent spanning several months, NASA's Perseverance rover has successfully reached the top of Jezero Crater's rim, as confirmed during a media briefing held on December 12 at the American Geophysical Union's annual meeting in Washington. The climb covered a vertical rise of 500 metres and involved navigating steep grades of 20 percent. Reports indicate that this milestone paves the way for exploring an uncharted region of Mars, offering unprecedented opportunities for scientific discovery.
The current phase of the mission, termed the Northern Rim campaign, is expected to uncover geological insights from Mars's distant past. As per reports, Ken Farley, Project Scientist at Caltech, stated that at this stage signifies a transition to studying ancient crustal materials exposed during the crater's formation. Reports describe these rocks as some of the oldest in the solar system, offering clues to the early environments of Mars and Earth.
The rover's immediate focus is a site dubbed Witch Hazel Hill, located 450 metres down the rim. According to scientists, this layered outcrop holds a record of ancient Martian history, with each layer representing a distinct geological era. Further objectives include Lac de Charmes, an area believed to be less affected by the crater's formation, and a return to the rim to study megabreccia.
The mission aims to gather samples for potential signs of ancient life while analysing Mars's geology and climate. The samples, according to reports, are planned for eventual return to Earth through collaborative efforts with the European Space Agency. The Perseverance mission forms part of NASA's broader strategy to prepare for human exploration of Mars. Embaded -
For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.