NASA's Perseverance rover set a new off-world driving record on Oct. 11, when its odometer reached 28.10 miles (45.22 kilometers) on Mars. That edged past Opportunity's 28.06-mile record, built over nearly 15 years on the planet. NASA says Perseverance has completed more than 90% of its distance using AutoNav, a system that maps hazards and plots a path between waypoints while the rover moves. The milestone came as the rover crossed ancient terrain near Jezero Crater's western rim, where scientists are investigating rocks that could preserve evidence of early Martian environments. The record is not the mission's main goal: longer, safer drives let the team reach more varied geology and collect a broader sample set.