<P> Mars 2, Mars 3 and Beagle 2 were physically tethered probes; Sojourner was dependent on the Mars Pathfinder base station for communication with Earth; MER - A & B, and Curiosity were on their own . Of these MER - B and Curiosity are still active, and MER - A and Sojourner completed their missions before losing contact in 2010 and 1997 respectively . </P> <P> Seven rovers have been dispatched to Mars: </P> <Ul> <Li> Mars 2, Prop - M rover, 1971, Mars 2 landing failed taking Prop - M with it . The Mars 2 and 3 spacecraft from the USSR had identical 4.5 kg Prop - M rovers . They were to move on skis while connected to the landers with cables . </Li> <Li> Mars 3, Prop - M rover, 1971, lost when Mars 3 lander stopped communicating about 20 seconds after landing . </Li> <Li> Sojourner rover, Mars Pathfinder, landed successfully on July 4, 1997 . Communications were lost on September 27, 1997 . </Li> <Li> Beagle 2, Planetary Undersurface Tool, lost with Beagle 2 on deployment from Mars Express in 2003 . A compressed spring mechanism was designed to allow movement across the surface at a rate of 1 cm per 5 seconds and to burrow into the ground and collect a subsurface sample in a cavity in its tip . </Li> <Li> Spirit (MER - A), Mars Exploration Rover, launched on June 10, 2003 at 13: 58: 47 EDT and landed successfully on January 4, 2004 . Nearly 6 years after the original mission limit, Spirit had covered a total distance of 7.73 km (4.80 mi) but its wheels became trapped in sand . Around January 26, 2010, NASA conceded defeat in its efforts to free the rover and stated that it would now function as a stationary science platform . The last communication received from the rover was on March 22, 2010, and NASA ceased attempts to re-establish communication on May 25, 2011 . </Li> <Li> Opportunity (MER - B), Mars Exploration Rover, launched on July 7, 2003 at 23: 18: 15 EDT and landed successfully on January 25, 2004 . Opportunity surpassed the previous record for longevity of a surface mission to Mars as of May 20, 2010 and surpassed the previous record for distance traveled off - Earth as of July 28, 2014 by covering a total distance of 40.25 km (25.01 mi). Opportunity is still operational and mobile as of July 15, 2018 . </Li> <Li> Curiosity, Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), by NASA, was launched November 26, 2011 at 10: 02 EST and landed in the Aeolis Palus plain near Aeolis Mons (informally "Mount Sharp") in Gale Crater on August 6, 2012, 05: 31 UTC . The Curiosity rover is still operational as of July 15, 2018 . </Li> </Ul> <Li> Mars 2, Prop - M rover, 1971, Mars 2 landing failed taking Prop - M with it . The Mars 2 and 3 spacecraft from the USSR had identical 4.5 kg Prop - M rovers . They were to move on skis while connected to the landers with cables . </Li>

What was the name of the first rover to land on mars