NASA’s Perseverance rover sets new record for driving on Mars:Moves farther than any vehicle on another world, covering 28.1 miles

NASA’s Perseverance rover has achieved a major milestone on Mars, driving farther than any other vehicle on a world beyond Earth. The six-wheeled robot has covered 28.1 miles (45.2 kilometres) since landing on the Red Planet in 2021, breaking a record that had stood for years. The US space agency announced the achievement on Tuesday. The rover reached the milestone while exploring Mars for clues about whether the planet once had conditions that could support microbial life. Perseverance breaks Opportunity rover’s record Before Perseverance, NASA’s Opportunity rover held the record for the longest distance driven on another world. Opportunity covered around 28.06 miles (45 kilometres) during its mission, which lasted from 2004 to 2018. Perseverance has now moved ahead of its predecessor in just around five and a half years. It has also driven farther than the lunar rovers used during past Moon missions. The rover was originally designed to travel about 12.4 miles (20 kilometres). However, its performance has allowed NASA to extend its mission and continue exploring the Martian landscape. Exploring an ancient Martian crater Perseverance has been exploring Jezero Crater, a region on Mars that scientists believe once held a lake and may have had flowing water billions of years ago. The rover is currently travelling towards an area called Idubi, passing through a region near the crater’s western edge known as Lac de Charmes. Scientists are interested in this area because its rocks could provide clues about Mars’ early history, including how meteorite impacts shaped the planet. Researchers also believe that some parts of the crater may once have had warm groundwater. Such environments could have offered conditions suitable for life. How Perseverance drives on its own One of the main reasons behind Perseverance’s success is its self-driving technology, called AutoNav. This system helps the rover navigate the Martian surface without requiring humans to control every movement. According to NASA, around 90% of the rover’s drives are completed autonomously. Perseverance takes pictures of the ground ahead, uses them to understand the terrain, and chooses a safe route to reach its destination. The rover also has a powerful onboard computer that helps it process images and make driving decisions quickly. Earlier Mars rovers often had to stop and wait for instructions before moving further. Also read: China vs US: Dragon turns human brain into smart business models, challenges Musk’s Neuralink tech

Rover remains in good condition Despite travelling such a long distance, Perseverance continues to perform well. Steven Lee, a project manager for NASA’s Mars rovers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, said the rover’s equipment and scientific instruments remain in excellent condition. “A recent assessment of all systems concluded that they are capable of operating well into the 2030s, likely beyond,” Lee told Reuters. NASA is testing the rover’s mobility system to determine whether it can travel 62 miles (100 kilometres) or more. These tests will help engineers understand how much farther the rover could potentially travel. Its plutonium-powered energy system is also working as expected, with years of useful power remaining. Searching for signs of ancient life Beyond its driving record, one of Perseverance’s most important achievements has been finding a possible sign of ancient microbial life. The discovery, announced in 2025, came from reddish rocks believed to be between 3.2 billion and 3.8 billion years old. These rocks were found in an area that may once have been part of a river flowing into the ancient lake in Jezero Crater. The finding is described as a ‘potential biosignature,’ meaning it could point to past life but does not confirm that life existed on Mars. Scientists are continuing to study the evidence to understand what it might reveal about the planet’s past. What lies ahead for Perseverance? NASA has extended Perseverance’s mission to explore the rim of Jezero Crater until around the end of 2028. The rover will continue studying rocks, examining the terrain and searching for clues about Mars’ ancient environment. Its mission also builds on the work of earlier Mars rovers, including Sojourner, Spirit, Opportunity and Curiosity. Each mission has helped scientists improve their understanding of the Red Planet. With its driving record broken and its systems still working well, Perseverance is expected to continue contributing to Mars exploration for years to come.