Mars rover Opportunity begins mountain climbing

Washington: NASA`s mars rover Opportunity has begun scaling the tallest hill that it has yet encountered in its nearly 10 years of exploration.

The rover is climbing "Solander Point," the northern tip of a 130-foot-tall hill on the rim of Mars` Endeavour Crater, Fox News reported.

According to NASA officials, it is currently studying rocky outcrops that are located between 6.5 feet and 20 feet above the surrounding plains, and may climb higher in the coming days and weeks.

Mission officials said that the rover began climbing Solander Point on October 8 and climbed higher and higher on three additional drives since then.