YFarmX Space · Mars

Mars

Rovers, orbiters and sample science on Mars, plus the hard engineering between here and a crewed landing.

The hardware

Surface rover

Six wheeled science rover on rocker bogie suspension: camera mast, stowed instrument arm and a radioisotope power unit.

The rocker-bogie suspension is the signature: real bars on real pivots, not sticks; the linkage is what says rover
A mast with a stereo camera head, and a robotic arm folded against the front bumper with an instrument turret at its wrist
A radioisotope power unit with cooling fins on the tail, and a small steerable dish for the link home

Illustration · class archetype · real geometry

The mission records, in full

NASA/JPL illustration of the Perseverance rover on the Martian surface, restyled with a deep-space sky.

Perseverance rover (Mars 2020)

extended mission

NASA · Mars (Jezero Crater)

Exploring Mars in an extended mission, with 45.22 km driven by 11 October and 29 rock and regolith samples collected.

Perseverance explores Jezero Crater and its surroundings, examining ancient environments and caching samples for a possible return to Earth. NASA’s 12 October update supplies the distance and sample count above. Potential biosignatures in the Sapphire Canyon sample remain evidence to investigate when assessing possible ancient life.

last verified 15 Oct 2026 · Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech, restyled

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Curiosity's self-portrait at Rocknest in Gale Crater, restyled with a deep-space sky.

Curiosity rover (Mars Science Laboratory)

extended mission

NASA · Mars (Gale Crater)

Exploring Gale Crater since 2012 and still active, with 42 drilled samples and organic molecules never seen before on Mars.

Curiosity has been exploring Gale Crater since landing on 6 August 2012 and NASA still lists it as an active mission. It has collected 42 powderised rock samples with the drill on its robotic arm and recently found organic molecules never seen before on Mars. NASA reported that on 26 August 2026 the rover reached 1 km of elevation gain on its climb from Gale Crater up Mount Sharp, the highest point of its mission so far, and marked its 5,000th Martian day on 30 August 2026 with a two-panorama postcard from a sand ridge in the foothills of Mount Sharp.

last verified 27 Sept 2026 · Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS, restyled

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Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter

extended mission

NASA · Mars (orbit)

Twenty years at Mars and still working: the orbiter passed 100,000 HiRISE images in December 2025 and relays for both active rovers.

NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has operated continuously since March 2006, and NASA marked its twentieth anniversary at Mars on 23 June 2026 with the orbiter still listed as an active mission. Its HiRISE camera passed its 100,000th image in December 2025, and the spacecraft continues studying the atmosphere and surface while relaying data for Perseverance and Curiosity. It is now the senior spacecraft of a thinner fleet: NASA declared MAVEN ended on 3 June 2026 after contact was lost the previous December.

last verified 22 Aug 2026 · Image: NASA/JPL, restyled

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Latest coverage

15 Jul 2026Mars

Perseverance reads 75 metres of Mars that nothing has recycled

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