Perseverance rover sets off-planet driving record on Mars

NASA announced that the Perseverance rover has now driven 28.1 miles (45.2 km) on the Martian surface, the longest distance any vehicle has traveled beyond Earth. The achievement eclipses the 28.06-mile record set by Opportunity and exceeds the mileage of all lunar rovers. Steven Lee of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory reported that the rover’s hardware and redundant systems are in excellent condition, with the capability to function well beyond 2030.

The record was set during a trek toward Idubi, crossing the Lac de Charmes region on the western edge of Jezero Crater, where scientists hope to find clues to ancient life. Perseverance relies heavily on its AutoNav system, which autonomously plans routes using stereo imaging and rapid onboard processing. NASA has extended the mission to continue exploring the crater rim through the end of 2028, and the rover’s plutonium power source still has many years of energy left.