How NASA’s Mars Rover Became the Farthest-Traveling Vehicle Beyond Earth

NASA's Perseverance Mars rover has shattered all expectations, reaching a historic space exploration milestone. Read on for the details of this groundbreaking mission, as well as what is next for this rover as it continues its journey across Mars.

Self-Driving Rover Beats Previous Mars Exploration Record

NASA is encouraged by the results of its latest rover expedition, highlighting the accomplishment in a recent press statement. The Perseverance Mars traveled 28.1 miles in its 15-year journey, beating the previous 28.06-mile record set by NASA's Opportunity rover. The Opportunity explored the surface of Mars from 2004 to 2018.

A recent announcement from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory detailed the accomplishments of the Perseverance, noting that it broke the record set by Opportunity on the 2,006th Martian day of its mission. This means that Perseverance only took 5.5 years to cover the same distance that took Opportunity nearly 15 years to complete.

Steven Lee, project manager of the Curiosity and Perseverance rovers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, said that “It is an honor to be working on Perseverance at a moment when the technology has evolved to the point that drives like these are routine." Lee explained that “The original mission called for no more than 12.4 miles of driving. We’ve blown well past that, and with all mobility systems fully operational and favorable extended-ground-life test results, we expect Perseverance to keep adding to this record for many years to come.”