NASA's Perseverance rover has driven farther across another world than any vehicle before it. An update published on 21 October reports that its odometer reached 45.22 kilometres — 28.10 miles — on Mars on 11 October.
The finish line had been tantalisingly close. About two months earlier, the rover was roughly 200 metres short, a distance it could cover in one drive. Instead, it stayed to examine scientifically interesting rocks. Finding out what Mars was like took priority over collecting a mileage trophy.
The engineering team has also been refining how the rover handles difficult ground, using simulations and software changes to tackle slopes and rocks. Perseverance's Earth-based twin received a Guinness World Records plaque. The actual record-holder remains on Mars, where the parking is excellent and the commute is complicated.
