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Perseverance driving record: NASA rover beats Opportunity with 28.10 miles on Mars

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The Perseverance driving record is now official: NASA’s Mars rover has driven farther than any vehicle on another world, NASA said. On 11 October its odometer reached 28.10 miles (45.22 km), beating Opportunity’s 28.06 miles.

Perseverance driving record: Navigation camera view from Perseverance on 11 October 2026, the day of the record drive
Navigation camera view from Perseverance on 11 October 2026, the day of the record drive Photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech (public domain).

How the Perseverance driving record was set

The rover hit the mark on its 2,006th Martian day, covering in about five and a half years a distance that took Opportunity almost 15. A 299.6-foot drive that day pushed it past the old record, set by Opportunity between 2004 and 2018. MyNewsLA also reported the milestone.

Key Facts

  • New record: 28.10 miles (45.22 km)
  • Old record: Opportunity, 28.06 miles
  • Sol of record: 2,006
  • Distance on AutoNav: 90%+

“We expect Perseverance to keep adding to this record for many years to come.”

— Steven Lee, Perseverance project manager, NASA JPL

AutoNav self-driving does most of the work

Perseverance maps hazards in 3D while rolling and picks its own path, which the team calls thinking while driving. It has driven more than 90 per cent of its distance on AutoNav and can cover up to 412 metres in one day. Sojourner used 20 measurement points; Perseverance processes 600,000 with every look.

Next stop near Jezero Crater

The rover is heading to an area called Idubi, west of Jezero Crater’s rim, to look for traces of ancient hot-water systems. NASA has extended the mission to about the end of 2028. Curiosity has logged more than 23.65 miles.

Why It Matters: Faster, self-driving rovers can reach more sites in less time, which means more science per mission and better tools for future Mars exploration.

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Source: NASA Science · MyNewsLA

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