Perseverance surveys its path as it ascends Jezero Crater

Perseverance surveys its path as it ascends Jezero Crater

by Clarence Oxford

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 29, 2024

NASA’s Perseverance rover is navigating a challenging climb up Jezero Crater’s western slope, aiming to reach the rim by early December. During the ascent, the rover captured a panoramic view of Jezero’s interior along with images of its own tracks, left as its wheels encountered slippage on the slope.

The image, composed of 44 frames taken on Sept. 27, Perseverance’s 1,282nd Martian day, showcases key sites that have marked its exploration journey, such as the landing area, the first sedimentary rock find, Mars’ first sample depot, and the last airfield used by NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter. Taken from a midpoint named “Faraway Rock,” the mosaic represents both achievements and challenges along the rover’s current route up Jezero’s wall.

“The image not only shows our past and present, but also shows the biggest challenge to getting where we want to be in the future,” said Rick Welch, Perseverance’s deputy project manager at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. “If you look at the right side of the mosaic, you begin to get an idea what we’re dealing with. Mars didn’t want to make it easy for anyone to get to the top of this ridge.”

Perseverance is tackling a 20-degree slope on the right side of the mosaic. Although the rover has navigated similar inclines before – both Curiosity and Opportunity have managed steeper grades – this climb stands out due to the combination of incline and slippery terrain.

Navigating Soft Terrain

Throughout the ascent, Perseverance has been driving over loose dust and sand layered with a brittle crust. On some days, it managed only half the distance it would on more stable ground, and once covered merely 20% of the planned distance.

“Mars rovers have driven over steeper terrain, and they’ve driven over more slippery terrain, but this is the first time one had to handle both – and on this scale,” noted Camden Miller, a rover planner with JPL who previously worked with Curiosity and now directs Perseverance’s movements. “For every two steps forward Perseverance takes, we were taking at least one step back. The rover planners saw this was trending toward a long, hard slog, so we got together to think up some options.”

On Oct. 3, the team commanded Perseverance to test traction strategies, including backward driving (leveraging the rover’s “rocker-bogie” suspension for improved grip), cross-slope driving, and sticking close to the northern edge of its route, the “Summerland Trail.” Data showed that the latter option, with its larger surface rocks, was the most effective approach.

“That’s the plan right now, but we may have to change things up the road,” Miller added. “No Mars rover mission has tried to climb up a mountain this big this fast. The science team wants to get to the top of the crater rim as soon as possible because of the scientific opportunities up there. It’s up to us rover planners to figure out a way to get them there.”

Status of Sample Tubes

In the coming weeks, Perseverance is expected to reach “Lookout Hill” at the crater rim before continuing to “Witch Hazel Hill,” roughly 450 meters away. Orbital data suggests this area contains light-toned, layered rock that could provide valuable geological comparisons with “Bright Angel,” a region where Perseverance recently sampled a rock named “Cheyava Falls.”

The rover’s mission includes 43 sample tubes, with 24 currently filled with Martian rock, regolith, and one atmospheric sample, along with three witness tubes. Initially, NASA required Perseverance to collect at least 31 samples during its mission in Jezero, leading to the addition of 12 extra tubes to accommodate any unforeseen challenges.

NASA recently retired two spare tubes that would have posed a risk to the rover’s internal sample-handling arm due to a wire harness potentially catching on a fastener during retrieval. Perseverance now has 11 empty tubes for rock sampling and two empty witness tubes.

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