David Guerra
Mr. Porfido
Web & Design
3/26/15
Period-6

NASA

It certainly won't be troubling any earth-based runners' personal bests, but NASA's long-serving Mars rover Opportunity set a significant benchmark Tuesday as it clocked in 26.219 miles (42 kilometers) -- the first-ever Martian marathon.

It might have taken the robot 11 years and two months but it represents a significant landmark for NASA.

"This is the first time any human enterprise has exceeded the distance of a marathon on the surface of another world," said John Callas, Opportunity project manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California.