Which Mars mission carried the first successful rover to another planet?

Mars Pathfinder carried the first successful rover to another planet.

NASA’s Pathfinder mission landed on Mars on 4 July 1997 and deployed the Sojourner rover. Sojourner was the first wheeled vehicle to operate successfully on a world beyond Earth, making the mission a landmark in planetary exploration.

Pathfinder used a landing system based on airbags. After atmospheric entry and parachute descent, the lander bounced across the Martian surface before stopping. This technique helped NASA deliver a relatively light spacecraft without the complex powered descent systems required by larger later landers.

The mission also tested autonomous rover operations, rock analysis, and a compact communications approach between the rover and lander. Sojourner’s mission lasted far longer than its planned seven-sol design life. Mars Pathfinder is therefore different from the Mars Exploration Rover mission, which later delivered Spirit and Opportunity in 2004.