As part of its mission to explore the surface of Mars, NASA’s Perseverance rover continues its epic journey beyond Jezero Crater’s rim.
Recently, the rover captured a remarkable image from the summit of an outcrop named Soroya Ridge using its onboard Left Navigation Camera (Navcam).
What is it?
NASA’s Perseverance rover launched in July 2020 and landed in Jezero Crater in 2021. The car-sized robot has since become a key tool in studying our planetary neighbor. Perseverance was built upon previous rover designs like Opportunity and Curiosity, but with a sharper focus on astrobiology and the long-term goal of returning Martian samples to Earth.
Where is it?
This photo was taken at the Soroya Ridge, southeast of the Jezero crater.
Why is it amazing?
Perseverance’s primary mission is to search for signs of ancient microbial life and to collect samples of rock and soil that could one day be analyzed on Earth. To do this, it carries a suite of instruments for precise sample collection. These samples will eventually be retrieved by a proposed future mission, although its current status is in jeopardy.
Want to learn more?
You can read more about Mars rovers and looking for life on Mars.