Pick up to 4 vehicles to compare side-by-side. State lives in the URL — share the link and the comparison loads exactly as you left it.
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 × | Perseverance (Mars 2020) Mars 2020 Active · Last updated 2026-06-01Trust: Agency-primaryⓘ Last verified Remove × | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agency | NASA/JPL | NASA/JPL | NASA/JPL |
| Status | Mission Complete | Active | Active |
| Vehicle type | helicopter | rover | rover |
| Launch date | 2020-07-30 | 2011-11-26 | 2020-07-30 |
| Landing date | 2021-02-18 | 2012-08-06 | 2021-02-18 |
| Landing site | Wright Brothers Field, Jezero Crater (deployed from Perseverance) | Bradbury Landing, Gale Crater | Octavia E. Butler Landing, Jezero Crater |
| Launch mass | 1.8 kgas of [1] | 899 kgas of [1] | 1,025 kgas of [1] |
| Power system | Solar panels + 6 lithium-ion batteries | Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) | Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) |
| Instruments | 2 cameras (color + navigation)as of [1]Navigation camera + color camera; no science instruments beyond imaging | 10 science instrumentsas of [1]Mastcam, ChemCam, MAHLI, APXS, CheMin, SAM, DAN, REMS, RAD, MARDI | 7 primary science instruments + 19 cameras + 2 microphonesas of [1]Mastcam-Z, SuperCam, PIXL, SHERLOC, RIMFAX, MEDA, MOXIE; MOXIE completed Oct 2023 |
| Distance traveled | ~11.6 kmas of [1]Total distance across 72 flights; final flight January 18, 2024 | ~33 kmas of [1]Actively driving; figure grows with each drive ↑ Farthest | ~22 kmas of [1]Actively driving; cached 24 sample tubes for future Mars Sample Return |
| Mission outcome | First powered controlled flight on another planet — technology demonstration that exceeded all expectations. Originally planned for 5 test flights, completed 72 before a rotor blade broke in January 2024. Achieved altitudes up to 24 m and flight durations up to 169.5 seconds. | 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. | First spacecraft to demonstrate oxygen production on Mars (MOXIE). Collected and cached 24 sample tubes for eventual Mars Sample Return. Documented diverse rock types in Jezero's ancient river delta. Deployed and supported Ingenuity through 72 flights. |
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.