NASA's Perseverance rover sets record for longest drive on another world

The car‑sized rover has logged 45.2 km on Mars, the farthest any vehicle has travelled on another planet.

By Felo News Desk · Published Tue, 13 Oct 2026 18:48:25 GMT

NASA announced on Tuesday that its Perseverance rover has become the longest‑driving vehicle ever on another world, having covered 45.2 kilometres (28.1 miles) on the Martian surface since its 2021 landing.

What happened

Perseverance reached the 45.2‑km milestone while traversing toward an area called Idubi, beyond the western rim of Jezero Crater. The rover’s cumulative distance now exceeds the previous record of roughly 45 kilometres set by the Opportunity rover between 2004 and 2018. The achievement was announced by NASA on Tuesday.

What the reports add

The Independent noted that Perseverance’s total of 28.1 miles (45.2 km) surpasses Opportunity’s 28.06‑mile (45‑km) record and that both rovers also out‑distance any lunar vehicle.
The Daily Times highlighted that the record was set while the rover was exploring ancient terrain for signs of past microbial life and that NASA has extended the mission to continue rim‑side exploration until roughly the end of 2028.
Both outlets reported that about 90 % of Perseverance’s drives are performed autonomously using its AutoNav system, which creates three‑dimensional maps from stereo images and selects safe routes without human intervention.
Engineers are now testing the mobility system for journeys of 100 km or more, far beyond the original 20‑km travel goal.

What was said

“Perseverance's engineering hardware and instruments are in excellent shape with all redundant systems still available,” Steven Lee, project manager for NASA’s Perseverance and Curiosity rovers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, told the Independent.

“A recent assessment of all systems concluded that they are capable of operating well into the 2030s, likely beyond,” Lee added, as quoted by both the Independent and the Daily Times.

Lee also said, “Perseverance takes stereo images of the terrain ahead, generates a 3D software map, and selects the safest path towards a drive goal,” and noted that “about 90 per cent of its drives are done autonomously, with no human intervention.”

How it came about

Perseverance landed in Jezero Crater in February 2021 and has since focused on studying the crater’s ancient lake deposits. Earlier Felo coverage explained how the rover’s SuperCam instrument uncovered a layered water history in Jezero’s Margin Unit (see article). The rover’s continued mobility, aided by its autonomous navigation system and ongoing hardware testing, has allowed it to reach new scientific targets, culminating in the latest distance record as it moves toward Idubi.

Key facts

Perseverance has travelled 45.2 kilometres (28.1 miles) on Mars, the longest distance for any vehicle on another world. (independent.co.uk)
The previous record of about 45 kilometres was held by NASA's Opportunity rover (2004‑2018). (dailytimes.com.pk)
Project manager Steven Lee said the rover’s systems are in excellent condition and could operate into the 2030s. (independent.co.uk)