Perseverance rover has reached new heights as it ascends the rim of Jezero crater, currently 389 meters (1277 ft) in elevation higher than the original landing site )! The rover is located at its first crater rim campaign science stop at a location called ‘Dox Castle’, a region of interest for its potential to host ancient Mars bedrock in the exposed rocks on the rim. Impact craters like Jezero may be the key to piecing together the early geologic history of Mars, as they provide a window into the history of the ancient crust by excavating and depositing deep crustal materials above the surface. Crater rims act as keepers of ancient Martian history, uplifting and exposing the stratigraphy of these impacted materials. Additionally, extreme heat from the impact can encourage the circulation of fluids through fractures similar to hydrothermal vents, which have implications for early habitability and may be preserved in the exposed rim bedrock. With the Perseverance rover we have the potential to explore some of the oldest exposed rocks on the planet.

This panoramic scene is created by processing images and data from the orbiting assets of NASA and ESA, it was processed by Freie Universität Berlin. Image Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/University of Arizona/ESA/DLR/FU-BERLIN