Perseverance beats Opportunity on Mars

IFL Science reports on a new record set by a Mars rover. Perseverance has, in just 5 years, beaten Opportunity’s 15-year record for the furthest distance driven on another planet or moon:

locking an impressive 45.22 kilometers (28.10 miles), it has surpassed the previous record established by Opportunity of 45.16 kilometers.

Perseverance is currently traveling to an area called “Idubi”, which is part of the wider western rim of the Jezero Crater.

The wider area has been nicknamed “Lac de Charmes”, and it might have some of the oldest terrain ever directly explored in the solar system.

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Perseverance has been on Mars for roughly 5 and a half years now, with the distance record being broken during the rover’s 2006th Martian day, or sol. This was way faster than Opportunity managed the same distance.

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In summer 2025, JPL certified that the rover actuators – the parts that turn the wheels – will perform optimally for at least another 60 kilometers (37 miles). The goal of driving 100 kilometers (62 miles) on Mars is very possible.

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