NASA’s Perseverance rover has traversed a total distance of 26.2 miles on Mars since landing on the planet five years ago. The rover crossed the marathon mark on June 14, according to NASA. Perseverance achieved this milestone while exploring ancient terrain west of Jezero Crater, where it discovered remnants of an ancient lake and possible signs of ancient life.
Perseverance’s highest speed is .1 mph under optimal conditions. This makes the achievement notable given its pace. It is the second rover to complete a marathon distance on another world, following NASA’s Opportunity rover, which accomplished the same feat in 2015 after a journey of 11 years and two months.
In comparison, the Curiosity rover, active on Mars since 2012, has driven just over 23 miles. NASA shared images from Perseverance’s recent exploration, which included a selfie taken by the rover.
