Perseverance (Mars 2020)

1. Launch

   July 30, 2020

2. Landing

   February 18, 2021

   Octavia E. Butler Landing, Jezero Crater

3. Status

   Ongoing

   ~1,887 sols (active as of 2026-06)

First spacecraft to demonstrate oxygen production on Mars (MOXIE). Has collected 33 sample tubes (including the Three Forks depot cache). The NASA-ESA Mars Sample Return campaign lost its funding in January 2026, but retrieval is not off the table: China's Tianwen-3 (2028 launch, ~2031 return) is now the leading active sample-return effort, and the FY26 appropriation redirected ~$110M into a 'Mars Future Missions' technology pool. Documented diverse rock types in Jezero's ancient river delta. Deployed and supported Ingenuity through 72 flights.

1. NASA Mars Exploration Program (JPL) — https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/mission/overview/ (retrieved 2026-06-01)
2. NASA NSSDCA — https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=2020-052A (retrieved 2026-06-01)
3. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perseverance_(rover) (retrieved 2026-06-12)
4. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tianwen-3 (retrieved 2026-06-28)