A nice place to stop, rest, and reflect. ⁣ ⁣ As we continue to embark on our own personal cosmic journeys, we can use the New Year to reflect on our successes, our lessons learned, and our dreams for the future. In this image, NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover takes a moment to look back on the road traveled — and strategize for the road to come. ⁣ ⁣ Perseverance used its navigation cameras to capture this scene while driving up to Jezero Crater’s rim on Nov. 11, 2024, the 1,326th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. The ascent took 3.5 months and included 1,640 feet (500 m) of vertical climb. The sandy terrain seen here, along with a 10-degree average slope, meant it was a steep and slippery drive. The road ahead will be even more scientifically intriguing, and probably somewhat easier-going, now that the six-wheeler has completed its long climb to the top. ⁣ ⁣ Sometimes the road is bumpy, but it’s important to take a page from Perseverance’s book — and persevere! ⁣ ⁣ The Perseverance mi...