Perseverance Rover Embarks on New Mission to Explore Ancient Martian Rocks

The Perseverance rover has commenced an ambitious ascent up the steep rim of Jezero Crater, aiming to uncover some of the oldest rocks on Mars and investigate environments that may have once harbored life. Since its landing in Jezero Crater 3.5 years ago, the rover has explored the remnants of an ancient lake and river delta, collecting a variety of rock samples. The mission team is eager to begin the Crater Rim Campaign, with the rover in excellent condition and ready for the challenges ahead. Jezero Crater, formed approximately 4 billion years ago by a significant impact event, contains large blocks of rock that were ejected and subsequently trapped in its rim. Briony Horgan, a co-investigator on the mission, emphasized that accessing these rocks could provide crucial insights into Mars' early history, potentially revealing evidence of hot springs that may have supported ancient microbial life. The mission's primary objective remains the search for signs of past life on Mars, with the science team keen to explore as many potentially habitable environments as possible. The rover is expected to encounter rocks dating back 4.2 billion years, offering a glimpse into the planet's formative years. While the team typically avoids steep inclines exceeding 30 degrees, they are confident in Perseverance's capabilities. The rover is equipped to monitor its surroundings and will halt if it encounters excessive slipping, allowing the team to strategize its next moves. As the mission progresses, the science team faces the challenge of selecting which rocks to study closely and which to sample, a task that will be critical in advancing our understanding of Mars' geological history and the potential for past life on the planet.