NASA’s Perseverance rover set a new record for the longest distance driven on another world on October 11, 2026.
It drove 45.22 km (28.10 miles) on Mars, surpassing NASA’s Opportunity rover record of 45.16 km.
The record was achieved on its 2,006th Martian day (sol), in about 5.5 years.
AutoNav (Autonomous Navigation) enabled over 90% of its total driving by mapping hazards and selecting routes independently.
Perseverance has collected 29 rock and regolith samples and is exploring ancient terrain in Lac de Charmes and Idubi for possible evidence of ancient hydrothermal systems.
NASA’s extended mission will continue until roughly 2028, with the rover heading toward Rainbow Falls.