After more than three and a half years exploring the ancient lakebed of Jezero Crater on Mars, NASA’s Perseverance rover is preparing for the next major phase of its mission: the climb up the western rim of the crater.
This ambitious ascent, known as the Crater Rim Campaign, will take Perseverance through some of the most intriguing and unexplored terrain on Mars, where scientists hope to uncover new clues about the planet’s history and potential for ancient life.
Climbing Toward New Discoveries: The Crater Rim Campaign
The journey to the top of Jezero Crater’s western rim won’t be easy. Perseverance faces a steep climb of 820 feet through a diverse and geologically significant landscape. The rover's ascent begins with Pico Turquino, a slope covered with ground fractures that may be the remnants of ancient hydrothermal activity. These fractures, caused by volcanic or tectonic forces, could reveal important information about the geologic processes that shaped Mars billions of years ago.
After navigating Pico Turquino, Perseverance will head toward Witch Hazel Hill, a visually striking area that contrasts sharply with the usual reddish hues of Mars. Seen from orbit, Witch Hazel Hill stands out for its light-colored terrain. Scientists are eager to explore this region because they believe it may contain rocks from Mars’ ancient crust, some of which could have been formed in environments that were once habitable.
According to Eleni Ravanis, a doctoral student at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa and a scientist working with Perseverance’s Mastcam-Z camera, these rocks represent an exciting opportunity for exploration. "These rocks formed from a wealth of different processes, and some represent potentially habitable ancient environments that have never been examined up close before," she said. The campaign is expected to provide insights into Mars' geological past, including whether conditions might have supported microbial life.
Tracing Ancient Waterways: The Journey Through Neretva Vallis
The path that brought Perseverance to the foot of Jezero Crater’s rim is itself a testament to Mars’ dynamic history. Over the past several months, the rover has been traversing Neretva Vallis, a dried-up river channel that scientists believe once carried water into Jezero Crater. Billions of years ago, this valley may have been filled with rushing water, feeding into what is now the barren lakebed of Jezero Crater. The evidence of ancient rivers and lakes on Mars points to a time when the planet had a much more Earth-like environment, with flowing water and, potentially, life.
As Perseverance ascended through Neretva Vallis, it encountered a formation called Bright Angel, which is notable for its striking off-white color. This area is thought to be part of Mars' ancient crust, exposed over time by the erosion of the river that once flowed through Neretva Vallis. In addition to the unusual color, the rover found a fascinating feature known as Cheyava Falls—a rock formation speckled with leopard-like spots that contain iron and phosphate, as well as organic compounds.
Searching for Signs of Life on Mars: The Significance of Organic Compounds
The discovery of organic compounds in Cheyava Falls has sparked excitement among astrobiologists. On Earth, organic compounds—especially when found in conjunction with iron and phosphate—are often associated with microbial life. While this is not definitive proof that life once existed on Mars, it adds to the growing body of evidence that Mars may have once been a habitable planet.
Astrobiologists are keen to study these compounds further to determine whether they were formed through biological processes or whether they are simply the result of non-biological chemical reactions. "On Earth, the combination of organic compounds and iron-phosphate splotches is a telltale sign of microbes," explained one scientist working on the mission. However, much more research and many more samples will be needed before scientists can make any firm conclusions about Mars' past.
Perseverance's discovery at Cheyava Falls is especially intriguing because it provides a window into Mars' ancient past, potentially preserving clues about the environmental conditions that existed billions of years ago. The upcoming exploration of Witch Hazel Hill, which shares some similarities with Bright Angel, could provide even more insights into the Red Planet's early history and its capacity to support life.
Looking Ahead: What Lies Beyond the Crater Rim
As Perseverance climbs higher, scientists are eager to see what the rover will uncover next. The ascent of the crater rim could take months, as the rover carefully navigates rocky terrain and steep slopes. Once Perseverance reaches the top, it will likely have a sweeping view of Jezero Crater and the Martian landscape beyond—an invaluable perspective for mission scientists as they decide where to direct the rover next.
The exploration of the Jezero Crater Rim is expected to yield some of the most significant scientific discoveries of the mission. These ancient rocks and geological features have the potential to unlock answers about Mars' climate history, the role of water in shaping its surface, and whether life ever took hold on the Red Planet. As Art Thompson, Perseverance's project manager at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said, "As we start the Crater Rim Campaign, our rover is in excellent condition, and the team is raring to see what's on the roof of this place."