NASA’s Perseverance rover is embarking on a challenging new mission on Mars. After spending the past 3 1/2 years exploring the bottom of a crater, the rover has now begun the ascent to the rim. The goal is to climb 1,000 feet (305 meters) to reach the rim of Jezero Crater and collect rock samples. Since its arrival on Mars in 2021, Perseverance has already gathered 22 rock core samples from the crater floor, which was once submerged under water.

The collected samples hold significant scientific value as they may provide vital insights into the ancient climate of Mars billions of years ago and could potentially reveal if there was any past microbial life on the planet. NASA is currently devising plans to transport these rock samples back to Earth for further analysis.

Steven Lee from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California mentioned that the bedrock at the crater’s rim could offer valuable information on the formation processes of rocky planets such as Mars and Earth. However, the journey ahead for Perseverance won’t be straightforward. The rover will need to navigate through rugged terrain and slopes with inclines of up to 23 degrees during the months-long climb.

Despite the challenges, Perseverance has proven to be a resilient explorer, having covered approximately 18 miles (29 kilometers) so far. The rocks at the top of the crater are of particular interest as they might have originated from ancient hydrothermal vents, similar to those found on Earth in locations like Yellowstone National Park, which are known to support diverse forms of life.