NASA said its Mars Curiosity rover has reached its target destination on the Red Planet.

The target location is the base of Mount Sharp, a 5,000 meter tall mountain located at the center of Gale Crater and the rover's long-term target location.

The space agency confirmed Curiosity's trek up the mountain will start with an examination of its entry point near Pahrump Hills located in the mountain's lower slopes. Previously, Curiosity planned entry point was Murray Buttes, an outcrop further off.

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NASA has received more information from Curiosity's examinations of the outcrops in the past year. Based on this improved understanding of the region's terrain and geography, NASA decided to head uphill sooner than planned, instead of continuing to Murray Buttes.

NASA expects Curiosity to make its way up to Mount Sharp this week. The rover will first enter into a valley on the lower slopes and then drill there to obtain a sample for analysis.

This valley is roughly the length of two football fields. Scientists expect this trek to be an easier one compared to the sandy floored Hidden Valley where Curiosity rover's wheels slipped too much, preventing its safe passage.

The route was also changed due to sharp rocks of the type that punched holes into four of the rover's six wheels, according to NASA.

Curiosity landed on Mars in August 2012. In the first year of its operation, Curiosity gathered pivotal evidence from clay sedimentary rocks in an area called Yellowknife Bay.

These findings revealed environmental conditions thought to be favorable to microbial life.

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