5. Measure distances
You can calculate both distance and topography using your map.
Let's try, for example, measuring how far it is from the Perseverance landing site to Syrtis Major Planum to the southwest. Select the Menu icon in the upper right of the screen and then click on Calculate Distance. Select Line, then click on the rover's location and hold your mouse down to draw a straight line from the rover to Syrtis Major Planum.
This a long distance for the rover, which has a top speed of about 152 meters per hour on flat hard ground, less than 0.1 miles per hour.
Also notice that the color on the topographic map changes from green where Perseverance is located to orange at the destination we selected. This difference in color represents the relative elevation on the surface. To calculate the elevation change along the path you've drawn, click on the line and select Elevation Profile Calculation from the menu that pops up. Click Submit to get a graph showing how the elevation changes over the course of your route.
In this example, that's one steep climb – a difference of 4,000 meters at the greatest peak! The rovers would almost never attempt any angle greater than 30 degrees, making this far too difficult of a climb for our rovers.
See if you can make the climb less steep by using the Freehand Polyline option when choosing Calculate Distance from the Menu. This way, you can create a path that uses arcs or waypoints instead of a straight line. This will also help you navigate around craters or otherwise harsh terrain. Are you able to help the rover find a more mild path?
Note: You can remove paths by clicking on the line and choosing Remove Marker from the popup menu.
Now, try doing the same within the Perseverance rover's more immediate landing area inside Jezero crater. Use the Freehand tool to draw a path that would allow Perseverance to get from its landing site to the rim of Jezero crater. Can you locate any natural channels that may present a safe path?
+ Expand image (top)