After nearly five years on Mars, NASA’s Perseverance rover has traveled about 25 miles (40 kilometers). The team behind the mission is now gearing up to explore a new area known as “Lac de Charmes,” where they’ll search for interesting rock samples.
Perseverance is built for the long haul, just like its sibling, Curiosity, which has been roving since 2012. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California oversees the mission and has been rigorously testing the rover to make sure it stays strong. Recently, they found that the rover’s wheel motors can function for at least another 37 miles (60 kilometers). Furthermore, they’ve evaluated almost all of the rover’s systems, concluding they can operate until at least 2031.
“These tests show the rover is in excellent shape,” said Steve Lee, Perseverance’s deputy project manager. He shared these results at the American Geophysical Union’s annual meeting, a major event for planetary scientists in the U.S. “All systems are fully capable of supporting long-term exploration of this fascinating region of Mars.”
Perseverance is currently exploring Jezero Crater, which used to be home to a lake and river system. Recently, the team discovered that a rock sample named “Cheyava Falls” might contain evidence of past microbial life.
In addition to its six science instruments, Perseverance has advanced autonomous capabilities. A recent paper in IEEE Transactions on Field Robotics introduced a tool called Enhanced Autonomous Navigation (ENav). This system lets the rover make decisions about navigating obstacles on its own, which is crucial for its current mission.
Previously, rovers had to rely heavily on human guidance, which slowed them down when encountering tricky terrain. ENav analyzes the rover’s surroundings to help it navigate faster and with more agility.
“More than 90% of Perseverance’s drive has been autonomous,” says Hiro Ono, a researcher at JPL. He emphasizes that this technology will be essential for future missions, especially as humans venture to Mars.
A recent study in Science highlighted Perseverance’s findings from the “Margin Unit,” a specific area in Jezero Crater. The rover has collected samples that reveal how ancient Martian rocks interacted with water and the atmosphere, possibly creating conditions for life.
Between September 2023 and November 2024, Perseverance ascended 1,312 feet within this unit, focusing on rocks rich in olivine. Scientists view olivine as a timekeeper because it holds clues about the environmental conditions under which it formed.
Jezero Crater is rich in olivine, forming under high temperatures deep within Mars. The Margin Unit shows signs of olivine altered by water interactions, giving scientists insight into the planet’s history.
“This combination of olivine and carbonate helped us decide to land at Jezero Crater,” said Ken Williford, a leading author of the recent study. “These minerals provide a rich record of planetary evolution and the potential for life.”
Now, as Perseverance heads toward Lac de Charmes, the team is excited to collect new samples. They hope to compare the differences and gain more insight into Mars’ geological past.
For more on the Perseverance rover, visit NASA’s official page.
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Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Mars, Mars 2020, Perseverance (Rover), The Solar System
