science
Perseverance passes Opportunity’s off-world driving record
NASA reports its Mars rover reached 28.10 miles on October 11, surpassing Opportunity’s distance record.
By NewsCubby Editorial Desk · Published
NASA’s Perseverance rover set a new off-world driving record on October 11, the agency reported Monday. Its total reached 28.10 miles, or 45.22 kilometers, exceeding Opportunity’s 28.06-mile record.
Perseverance crossed the mark during its 2,006th Martian day. NASA says the newer rover covered the distance in about five and a half years, while Opportunity took almost 15.
Autonomous navigation helps the rover assess hazards and select a path between destinations chosen by planners on Earth. The milestone comes as it explores terrain near Jezero Crater’s western rim.
This is a distance milestone, not a new announcement of life on Mars. The NASA report below explains the route and navigation technology.
Photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech, PIA26812. Perseverance’s navigation camera captured the Martian terrain and wheel tracks on October 11, 2026. The social card crops that real image and adds an AI-assisted headline layout. NASA media guidelines permit factual editorial reuse with acknowledgement; no endorsement is implied.