Curiosity Blog, Sols 4975-4981: Happy 14th Landing Anniversary

By Susanne P. Schwenzer, Professor of Planetary Mineralogy at The Open University, UK Earth planning date: Friday, Aug. 7, 2026 This week was very special for the Curiosity team here on Earth as we celebrated the 14th landing anniversary. I still remember watching the buildup to the entry phase on “Eyes on the Solar System” […]

The top 3

  1. Longest Operational Lifespan on Mars: NASA's Opportunity rover holds the record for the longest operational lifespan on Mars, active for 14 years and 136 days (5,111 sols) from 2004 to 2018, significantly surpassing its initial 90-sol mission.
  2. Most Significant Scientific Discoveries: Opportunity found mineralogical evidence of past liquid water on Mars, including rocks formed at ancient shorelines and 'blueberries' (hematite concretions), while Curiosity provided overwhelming evidence of ancient lakebeds and detected diverse organic molecules.
  3. Furthest Distance Traveled on Mars: NASA's Opportunity rover holds the record for the furthest distance driven on Mars, covering 45.16 kilometers (28.06 miles) during its mission.

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