Artist rendition of the rover Perseverance, at work on the surface of Mars.
America's Mars rovers were all built and operated by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), located in La Cañada Flintridge.* The five rovers are as follows:
Launched: December 4, 1996
Landed: July 4, 1997
Last Contact: September 27, 1997
Status: No longer Active
Launched: June 10, 2003
Landed: January 4, 2004
Last Contact: March 22, 2010
Status: No longer Active
Launched: July 7, 2003
Landed: January 25, 2004
Last Contact: June 10, 2018
Status: No longer Active
Launched: November 26, 2011
Landed: August 6, 2012
Last Contact: ---
Status: Active
JPL engineers show the relative sizes of the first four Mars rovers. Rovers Spirit and Opportunity were the same generation of rover.
Launched: July 30, 2020
Landed: February 18, 2021
Last Contact: ---
Status: Active
Artist rendition of the rover Perseverance and its helicopter Ingenuity in the forefront, on the surface of Mars. Perseverance is approximately the same size as its earlier cousin Opportunity (although significantly upgraded, improved and heavier).
* Although JPL is often reported as located in Pasadena, the facility actually straddles the boundary between Pasadena and La Cañada Flintridge, with most of its facilities within the city of La Cañada Flintridge. La Cañada Flintridge, however, is a much smaller city than Pasadena (and less internationally known) and, early on, its post office was not able to handle JPL's increasing mail volume. So JPL's mail came to be delivered through the larger Pasadena Post Office and uses a Pasadena mailing code.
In celebration of the landing of Perserverance on the surface of Mars, the 11 Los Angeles International Airport Gateway light pylons, normally set to change colors, were continuously illuminated red, from the day before the rover's landing until the day after.
Perseverance Rover’s Descent and Touchdown on Mars.
NASA Mars Helicopter Ingenuity Animation.
