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Perseverance Cleared for Years More on Mars, On Track to Top Rover Distance Record

Engineers say remaining wheel life plus overall system health support operations through 2031.

Overview

  • NASA reports the rover has driven about 40 kilometers since its February 2021 landing in Jezero Crater.
  • JPL’s two‑year evaluation finds wheel actuators good for roughly 60 additional kilometers with most systems projected to remain fully functional into at least 2031.
  • The team expects Perseverance to surpass Opportunity’s roughly 45‑kilometer mark and potentially exceed 100 kilometers in total distance.
  • Perseverance set mobility milestones, covering more than 411 meters in a single sol on June 19, 2025, and nearly 700 meters autonomously in late 2023 using its ENav system.
  • Enhanced Autonomous Navigation handles over 90% of drives by scanning hazards up to about 15 meters ahead, while recent peer‑reviewed studies highlight key Jezero findings, including a developing biosignature claim in the ‘Cheyava Falls’ sample.