perseverance

Mars rovers like Perseverance use onboard AI to navigate treacherous terrain, select science targets, and survive a 20-minute communication delay from Earth.

NASA's Perseverance rover is reading Jezero Crater's rocks for signs of ancient microbial life, caching samples for a return trip that no longer has an approved mission, and testing oxygen-making technology for crews.

Discovering even one living microbe on Mars — or convincing fossil evidence of past Martian life — would be the most consequential scientific finding in history. It would tell us life arises easily where conditions allow, and reshape our entire view of the universe.

Five rovers have driven on Mars over 30 years. They've found water, organic molecules, and possibly biosignatures. Here's what each rover discovered and what's coming next.