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 × | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Agency | NASA/JPL | NASA/JPL | NASA/JPL |
| Status | Mission Complete | Mission Complete | Active |
| Vehicle type | rover | helicopter | rover |
| Launch date | 2003-07-07 | 2020-07-30 | 2011-11-26 |
| Landing date | 2004-01-25 | 2021-02-18 | 2012-08-06 |
| Landing site | Eagle Crater, Meridiani Planum | Wright Brothers Field, Jezero Crater (deployed from Perseverance) | Bradbury Landing, Gale Crater |
| Launch mass | 185 kgas of [1] | 1.8 kgas of [1] | 899 kgas of [1] |
| Power system | Solar panels + lithium-ion battery | Solar panels + 6 lithium-ion batteries | Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) |
| Instruments | 5 science instruments + RAT drill + Magnet arraysas of [1]Same instrument suite as Spirit: Pancam, Mini-TES, Mössbauer, APXS, MI | 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 |
| Distance traveled | 45.16 kmas of [1]Mars distance record for a surface vehicle; final odometry at last contact ↑ Farthest | ~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 |
| Mission outcome | Traversed 45.16 km across Meridiani Planum — a world distance record for surface vehicles. Found sedimentary evidence of standing liquid water at Eagle Crater. Reached Endeavour Crater rim in 2011, 9 km from landing site. Contact lost in a 2018 global dust storm after 14+ years of operations. | 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. |
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.