Mars

Measured

Equatorial radius

3,396 km

From the Earth today

1.31 AU (196 million km)

How far, from the Earth

1.31 AU. To cross it:

• Light11 minutes
• Voyager 1's speed4.41 months
• Driving at 100 km/h223 years

Voyager 1 at the speed it moved outward over the year to 2026-10-25 (JPL Horizons). Driving: nonstop, never refuelling.

Spacecraft that went there

• Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter — Active mission (science.nasa.gov, page updated 2026-09-03). There since 2006-03-10.
• 2001 Mars Odyssey — Active mission (science.nasa.gov, page updated 2026-06-22) — the longest-serving spacecraft at another planet. NASA put its remaining propellant at about 4 kg in 2023. There since 2001-10-24.
• Mars Express — Operating; funded to the end of 2026 with an extension to 2029 requested (ESA, EPSC 2026 abstract, September 2026). There since 2003-12-25.
• ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter — Operating; spacecraft health nominal (ESA, EPSC 2026 abstract, September 2026). There since 2016-10-19.
• Hope (Emirates Mars Mission) — Operating; in an extended phase through 2028 (UAE Space Agency, quoted by NYU Abu Dhabi, June 2026). There since 2021-02-09.

Moons (2 in Ouranos)

PhobosDeimos

On its surface

• Perseverance — rover, 2021-02-18
• Curiosity — rover, 2012-08-06
• InSight — lander, 2018-11-26

Where this comes from

• Planets, Pluto, the Moon and Jupiter's big moons: astronomy-engine (Don Cross, MIT). Other moons: JPL Planetary Satellite Mean Elements. Ceres, Eris, Haumea, Makemake: JPL Small-Body Database. NASA/JPL-Caltech.

Every catalogue Ouranos draws is credited on the credits page.