NASA’s Perseverance vehicle set a new driving record on Mars on 11 October. It travelled 45.22 kilometres in about five and a half years. The old record belonged to Opportunity. That vehicle travelled 45.16 kilometres in nearly 15 years.
Perseverance uses cameras and computers to find safe paths around things in its way. This system guided more than 90% of its travel. It does not need to wait for people on Earth to choose every move.
NASA extended its work until about the end of 2028. Perseverance has collected 29 rock and soil samples. Scientists study these to learn about Mars. The vehicle also found a possible sign of past life in a rock. This does not prove that life existed there.
