The *Perseverance* rover has triumphantly reached the summit of the Jezero Crater rim on Mars, completing an ascent of 1,640 feet—higher than the Empire State Building. NASA officials disclosed that the rover, which commenced its expedition 3.5 months prior, caught its first sight of the rim on December 10. This achievement signifies the commencement of Perseverance’s fifth scientific initiative, during which it will investigate a route known as the “Northern Rim” over the next several years.

Throughout the demanding climb, Perseverance encountered steep and slick terrain. Its operators, situated about 70 million miles away on Earth, had to come up with inventive strategies to tackle the hurdles. At one stage, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory team even tried maneuvering the rover in reverse to facilitate its journey. “Our rover drivers have performed exceptionally well navigating some of the most challenging terrain we’ve faced since our landing,” noted Steven Lee, deputy project manager for Perseverance, in a statement from NASA.

The ascent follows a highly fruitful summer for both Perseverance and its sibling rover, *Curiosity*. Collectively, they unveiled evidence indicating that Mars was once far more geologically varied than once thought. Over a span of seven weeks, the rovers found pure sulfur, a potential anorthosite boulder that might be part of Mars’ primordial crust, and a rock showing the most convincing signs yet of ancient Martian life—though confirmation would necessitate returning a sample to Earth. This autumn, as Perseverance journeyed up the crater, it also came across an unusual zebra-striped rock, possibly formed via igneous or metamorphic processes.

Jezero Crater is thought to have once hosted a river flowing into a vast body of water. Researchers are now concentrating on the rim of the crater in their search for ancient Martian bedrock debris. The crater was shaped nearly 4 billion years ago through a colossal impact, which likely brought deeper materials to the surface. In the upcoming year, Perseverance is anticipated to explore as many as four locations along the rim, spanning roughly four miles and gathering samples. The initial destination is Witch Hazel Hill, a region of layered rocks. “Each layer is akin to a page in the Martian history book,” elaborated Candice Bedford, a rover scientist from Purdue University. “As we traverse down the slope, we will be traveling back in time, examining the ancient environments of Mars that are recorded in the crater rim.”

The rover’s fascinating findings have heightened pressure on NASA to tackle the obstacles facing its proposed Mars Sample Return mission. This groundbreaking initiative aims to return samples of rock, dust, and air collected by Perseverance back to Earth. Yet, the mission has been stalled since a review estimated its cost exceeding $11 billion and its schedule stretching nearly two decades. In response, NASA has solicited advice from the aerospace sector on how to optimize the mission. Earlier this year, seven companies suggested various proposals, including repurposing Artemis moon landers and reconfiguring the final leg of the journey.

NASA has not yet revealed its forthcoming steps regarding the Mars Sample Return mission, leaving its future in limbo. It remains uncertain how impending changes in administration may affect the agency’s strategies.