Mars Rovers

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of the Mars Rover Program?

The Mars Rover Program aims to explore the surface of Mars, study its climate and geology, search for signs of past life, and prepare for future human missions to the Red Planet.

How many Mars rovers has NASA sent to Mars?

NASA has sent five primary rovers to Mars: Sojourner, Spirit, Opportunity, Curiosity, and Perseverance. Each mission has built upon the discoveries of the previous ones.

Which Mars rover is currently active?

As of now, the Perseverance rover is actively exploring Mars. It landed in February 2021 and is conducting scientific research and collecting samples for future return to Earth.

What happened to Spirit and Opportunity?

Spirit became stuck in soft soil in 2009 and ceased communications in 2010. Opportunity exceeded its expected mission lifespan by over 14 years before it lost contact after a massive dust storm in 2018.

What makes Perseverance different from previous rovers?

Perseverance carries more advanced scientific instruments, is capable of collecting and caching samples, and is accompanied by Ingenuity—the first helicopter to fly on another planet.

Background

The NASA Mars rover program is a pioneering effort to explore the Red Planet using robotic vehicles designed to traverse its surface and conduct scientific experiments. Beginning with Sojourner in 1997, the program has since launched a series of increasingly advanced rovers, including Spirit, Opportunity, Curiosity, and Perseverance. Each mission has contributed vital data about Mars’ geology, climate, and potential for past or present life.

Sojourner	December 4, 1996
Spirit (MER-A)	June 10, 2003
Opportunity (MER-B)	July 7, 2003
Curiosity	November 26, 2011
Perseverance	July 30, 2020