How do Mars rover photos get sent to Earth?

Mars rovers transmit photos to Earth via two methods: direct X-band radio to NASA's Deep Space Network antennas, or UHF relay through Mars orbiters (MRO, MAVEN, TGO) which is much faster. Orbiter relay achieves up to 2 Mbps, allowing hundreds of images per sol. The one-way signal time varies from 3 to 22 minutes depending on Mars-Earth distance.

Are Mars rover photos in colour?

Yes, most Mars rover cameras capture full-colour images. Perseverance's Mastcam-Z and Curiosity's Mastcam take true-colour photos that show Mars as the human eye would see it. However, many raw images are taken through individual colour filters or in grayscale for scientific purposes, and some cameras like the navigation cameras only shoot in grayscale.

Mars Rover Photos — Latest Raw Images from Perseverance & Curiosity

Perseverance — Latest Photos

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The most recent raw images from Perseverance's 23 cameras in Jezero Crater. Click any photo to view full resolution.

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Curiosity — Latest Photos

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The most recent raw images from Curiosity's 17 cameras in Gale Crater.

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Perseverance — Latest Photos

Curiosity — Latest Photos

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