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Six missions have operated on the Martian surface since 1997 — three simultaneously in 2022.
| Attribute | Curiosity (MSL) Mars Science Laboratory Active · Last updated 2026-06-01Trust: Agency-primaryⓘ Last verified Remove × | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Agency | NASA/JPL | NASA/JPL | CNSA |
| Status | Active | Mission Complete | Hibernating |
| Vehicle type | rover | rover | rover |
| Launch date | 2011-11-26 | 2003-06-10 | 2020-07-23 |
| Landing date | 2012-08-06 | 2004-01-04 | 2021-05-22 |
| Landing site | Bradbury Landing, Gale Crater | Gusev Crater | Utopia Planitia |
| Launch mass | 899 kgas of [1] | 185 kgas of [1] | 240 kgas of [1] |
| Power system | Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) | Solar panels + lithium-ion battery | Solar panels + rechargeable battery |
| Instruments | 10 science instrumentsas of [1]Mastcam, ChemCam, MAHLI, APXS, CheMin, SAM, DAN, REMS, RAD, MARDI | 5 science instruments + RAT drill + Magnet arraysas of [1]Pancam, Mini-TES, Mössbauer Spectrometer, APXS, Microscopic Imager | 6 science instrumentsas of [1]Multispectral camera, terrain camera, subsurface radar (RoPeR), magnetometer, meteorological instrument, LIBS spectrometer |
| Distance traveled | ~33 kmas of [1]Actively driving; figure grows with each drive ↑ Farthest | 7.73 kmas of [1]Final odometry before contact lost; rover became stuck in soft soil in 2009 | 1.922 kmas of [1]Final confirmed odometry before entering hibernation for Martian winter |
| Mission outcome | Confirmed ancient habitable environment at Gale Crater — lake sediments billions of years old with all ingredients for life. Discovered complex organic molecules and seasonal methane fluctuations. Still driving as of 2026, ascending the foothills of Mount Sharp. | Landed in Gusev Crater and traversed 7.73 km over 2,208 sols — 24× its design lifetime. Found evidence of ancient hydrothermal activity at Home Plate. Became permanently immobile in soft soil in 2009; contact lost March 2010. | China's first successful Mars landing. Operated for 92 sols, traveling 1.922 km and collecting subsurface radar data suggesting ancient water ice deposits. Entered hibernation May 2022; CNSA has not publicly confirmed contact restoration as of mid-2026. |
All 6 surface vehicles with primary-source citations from NASA JPL, NASA NSSDCA, and CNSA. Pure URL state — bookmark or share the link and the comparison reproduces exactly.