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 | Perseverance (Mars 2020) Mars 2020 Active · Last updated 2026-06-01Trust: Agency-primaryⓘ Last verified Remove × | 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 | Active | Active |
| Vehicle type | rover | rover | rover |
| Launch date | 1996-12-04 | 2020-07-30 | 2011-11-26 |
| Landing date | 1997-07-04 | 2021-02-18 | 2012-08-06 |
| Landing site | Ares Vallis, Chryse Planitia | Octavia E. Butler Landing, Jezero Crater | Bradbury Landing, Gale Crater |
| Launch mass | 10.6 kgas of [1] | 1,025 kgas of [1] | 899 kgas of [1] |
| Power system | Solar panels + non-rechargeable lithium thionyl chloride batteries | Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) | Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) |
| Instruments | 3 science instruments (APXS ×2, ASI/MET) + 3 camerasas of [1]Alpha Proton X-ray Spectrometer (fore/aft), Atmospheric Structure Instrument/Meteorology Package | 7 primary science instruments + 19 cameras + 2 microphonesas of [1]Mastcam-Z, SuperCam, PIXL, SHERLOC, RIMFAX, MEDA, MOXIE; MOXIE completed Oct 2023 | 10 science instrumentsas of [1]Mastcam, ChemCam, MAHLI, APXS, CheMin, SAM, DAN, REMS, RAD, MARDI |
| Distance traveled | 0.1 km (100 metres)as of [1]Traveled ~100 m over 83 sols; contact lost when lander base station batteries depleted | ~22 kmas of [1]Actively driving; cached 24 sample tubes for future Mars Sample Return | ~33 kmas of [1]Actively driving; figure grows with each drive ↑ Farthest |
| Mission outcome | First Mars rover in history. Deployed by the Mars Pathfinder lander on July 4, 1997, Sojourner operated 83 sols — nearly 12× its 7-sol design lifetime. Its APXS instrument analyzed 16 rocks and soil patches, including 'Barnacle Bill' and 'Yogi', revealing andesite-like compositions suggesting a more geochemically differentiated volcanic history than expected. The mission proved roving exploration on Mars was feasible. | 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. | 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.