Mars Rover Sets an Out of This World Record

Can you believe the Mars rover ‘Opportunity’ has been on Mars since 2004? Seems like only yesterday! The rover has set a new record on the red planet; it has become the furthest traveled wheeled vehicle on another planet.

On July 27^th ‘Opportunity’ drove 157 feet and its odometer turned to 25.1 miles and each time it moves it will continue to break its own record. The rover was designed to travel about three-quarters of a mile, never this far, but the more miles it can go, the more of the planet can be investigated.

If it can keeps working long enough to travel another 1.1 miles it will have gone the distance of a marathon. The funny thing about that distance is the next sight for exploration is Marathon Valley, 1.1 miles from where the rover is now.

cornell.edu