CNN —After a steep monthslong trek, the Perseverance rover has reached the top of Jezero Crater on Mars. The rover is on a quest to determine if life ever existed on Mars by collecting samples that could contain ancient microfossils. “These rocks represent pieces of early Martian crust and are among the oldest rocks found anywhere in the solar system. The rover came across a field of bright white rocks, determined to be quartz, during its ascent of the crater rim. NASA/JPL-CaltechNow, Perseverance will study rocks that existed before the impact that created Jezero Crater, likely older than 4 billion years.

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Persons: —, ”, Steven Lee, Percy, Ken Farley, ” Farley, Hazel Hill, Candice Bedford, Freya Castle, Farley, Perseverance Organizations: CNN, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA, JPL, Caltech, Northern, California Institute of Technology, Purdue University, Mars, ASU Locations: Pasadena , California, Lookout, Washington ,, West Lafayette , Indiana, Charmes, ”, Lac de