NASA's Perseverance rover has officially set a new driving record on another world, traveling farther across an extraterrestrial surface than any vehicle before it. On October 11, its odometer reached 28.10 miles (45.22 kilometers), surpassing the previous record of 28.06 miles (45.16 kilometers) held by NASA's Opportunity rover, which explored Mars from 2004 to 2018.

Even more impressive is how quickly Perseverance accomplished the feat. Opportunity needed nearly 15 years to cover its record distance, while Perseverance did it in just five and a half years. The milestone came on the rover's 2,006th Martian day, known as a sol.

The record was set as Perseverance made its way toward a location called "Idubi," traveling through an area beyond the western rim of Jezero Crater known as "Lac de Charmes." This region contains what may be some of the oldest terrain ever examined in the solar system.

The landscape preserves a remarkable glimpse into the distant past.…