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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 2026-06-12Trust: Agency-primaryⓘ Last verified Remove × | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Agency | ESA | NASA/JPL | NASA/JPL |
| Status | upcoming | Mission Complete | Active |
| Vehicle type | rover | helicopter | rover |
| Launch date | NET late 2028 (Falcon Heavy from LC-39A) | 2020-07-30 | 2011-11-26 |
| Landing date | TBD ~2030 (post-2028 launch window) | 2021-02-18 | 2012-08-06 |
| Landing site | Oxia Planum | Wright Brothers Field, Jezero Crater (deployed from Perseverance) | Bradbury Landing, Gale Crater |
| Launch mass | ~310 kgas of [2] | 1.8 kgas of [1] | 899 kgas of [1] |
| Power system | Solar panels + NASA-supplied radioisotope heater units (RHUs) for night/winter survival | Solar panels + 6 lithium-ion batteries | Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) |
| Instruments | 9 Pasteur payload instruments + 2 m sub-surface drillas of [2]Includes PanCam, ISEM, CLUPI, WISDOM radar, ADRON-RM, Ma_MISS, MicrOmega, RLS Raman, MOMA organic molecule analyser | 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 | — | ~11.6 kmas of [1]Total distance across 72 flights; final flight January 18, 2024 | 36.86 kmas of [3]Actively driving; figure grows with each drive ↑ Farthest |
| Mission outcome | Europe's first Mars rover, designed to drill 2 m below the surface — deeper than any previous Mars mission — to search for biosignatures shielded from surface radiation. After the 2022 suspension of Russian cooperation, ESA rebuilt the mission with NASA support: on April 16, 2026, NASA formally began implementation of its contributions (Falcon Heavy launch services from LC-39A, braking engines for the landing platform, and radioisotope heater units), targeting a late-2028 launch and a ~2030 landing at Oxia Planum. | 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 June 2026 (~4,921 sols, 36.86 km), 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.