The Mars rover is a remote-controlled vehicle designed to traverse the surface of Mars, offering advantages over stationary landers by exploring more territory and positioning itself optimally. Managed primarily by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, there have been six successful Mars rovers to date: Sojourner, Spirit, Opportunity, Curiosity, Perseverance, and Zhurong. Currently, Curiosity and Perseverance are active on the Martian surface as of February 2026. These rovers have contributed significantly to our understanding of Martian geology and the potential for past habitability.
These rovers vary in size and capabilities, but all are equipped with scientific instruments. For example, Curiosity is about the size of a small car (approximately 10 x 9 x 7 feet) and is powered by a radioisotope thermoelectric generator, enabling it to operate for extended periods. Perseverance, which shares a similar design to Curiosity but with enhanced features, costs approximately $2.7 billion. These costs include spacecraft development, launch services, and operational and scientific analysis. While the rovers themselves are not commercially available, their missions represent a significant investment in scientific discovery and technological advancement.
