NASA's Perseverance rover faces a steep challenge.

NASA's Perseverance rover is currently tackling a tough ascent along the western wall of Jezero Crater as it aims to reach the summit by early December. During its climb, the rover captured stunning images of the crater’s interior and recorded the impact of its journey with tracks left behind due to some unexpected wheel slippage.

Significant achievements during its mission.

On September 27, which marked the 1,282nd Martian day of Perseverance's mission, the rover produced a breathtaking mosaic composed of 44 images. This mosaic displays significant landmarks that highlight its 3.5-year exploration within Jezero, including its landing site, the location of its first sedimentary rock discovery, the first-ever sample depot created on another planet, and the operational area for NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter.

Insights from the mission team.

The team calls the site where Perseverance took a break to snap its latest photos "Faraway Rock." It is located around the halfway point of its climb, providing a telling view of both the rover's accomplishments and the hurdles ahead.

Rick Welch, deputy project manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, conveyed the dual nature of the images: "They display our past achievements while illustrating the primary challenge we face as we progress. The steep terrain on the right side of the mosaic hints at our daunting task. Navigating this slope is no easy feat for the rover."

Navigating steep and slippery terrain.

The right section of the image reveals a formidable 20-degree incline. While Perseverance has previously conquered inclines of similar steepness, this marks the first encounter with such a slope combined with a slippery surface. Throughout the climb, the rover has traversed loose dust and sand, often resulting in reduced travel distance—covering only 50% of what it might have achieved on harder ground. On a particularly tough day, it moved just 20% of its intended route.

“This mission is unique," stated Camden Miller from JPL, who handles Perseverance's driving. "No other Mars rover has had to manage such a steep and slippery ordeal of this scale. The challenge has been doubling our efforts as we move forward, often requiring a step back.”

Adapting strategies to conquer the climb.

In an effort to tackle this slippery climb, the mission managers devised several strategies. On October 3, they instructed Perseverance to navigate backward up the slope, leveraging its suspension system, which performs better in reverse under certain conditions. They also explored cross-slope driving techniques and steering closer to the northern edge of the route, known as “Summerland Trail.” Data revealed that hugging this edge, where larger rocks offered better traction, yielded the best results.

“The strategy is holding, but flexibility is key," Miller added. "This is an unprecedented climb for a Mars rover, and the science team is eager to reach the top quickly for the research opportunities that await.”

Next steps in the mission.

In just a few weeks, Perseverance is anticipated to reach a location the science community has named "Lookout Hill," after which it will proceed another quarter-mile to "Witch Hazel Hill." Orbital data suggests that this latter site is rich in light-toned layered bedrock, which the team is keen to examine and compare to its previous findings at "Bright Angel," where it recently collected a sample from a unique rock formation named "Cheyava Falls."

Sample collection progress.

The rover embarked on its mission equipped with 43 sample tubes designed for collecting Martian rock and soil. So far, it has successfully sealed and stored 24 samples, along with one atmospheric sample and three witness tubes. Initially, NASA mandated that Perseverance should cap at least 31 samples, but they wisely decided to add 12 more, anticipating potential issues that could arise in the Martian environment.

However, the team decided to retire two of the spare tubes due to concerns over the rover's internal robotic arm. Accessing those tubes posed a risk of snagging a necessary wire harness on the rover’s frame, which could have detrimental results.

Now with 11 sampling tubes and two empty witness tubes at its disposal, Perseverance continues to forge ahead, portraying a spirit of resilience and curiosity as it endeavors to uncover the mysteries of the Red Planet. What other secrets does Mars hold, and how will Perseverance adapt in the face of relentless challenges? Stay tuned!