NASA’s Perseverance rover has traveled 45.2 kilometers on Mars, surpassing the record set by Opportunity

NASA’s Perseverance rover has set a new record for the longest distance traveled by a vehicle on a planet other than Earth. The robot has reached 45.2 kilometers traveled across the surface of Mars, surpassing the previous record held by the Opportunity rover.

The record was set on Sunday as Perseverance was traveling toward the Idubi area, on the western edge of Jezero Crater, in a region nicknamed “Lac de Charmes.” The rover landed on Mars on February 18, 2021, and is exploring a territory that researchers believe was covered by water and hosted a lake billions of years ago.

Perseverance is searching for evidence of ancient microbial life and collecting rock and soil samples for possible return to Earth. NASA announced that the rover is operating in excellent condition and could continue operating beyond the 2030s.

Approximately 90% of its movements are carried out autonomously with the help of the AutoNav system, which analyzes images of the terrain, creates 3D maps, and selects safe routes. The Curiosity rover has traveled 38.15 kilometers since 2012, while the Perseverance mission has been extended through late 2028.