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Mars Rover Concept Vehicle

NASA is aiming to have humans on Mars in the side by side few decades, fifty-fifty if that comes with more risk than nosotros originally thought. Just getting there is only the first challenge. Humans have to be able to survive and explore the red planet, and the agency just unveiled a vehicle that could help with the latter. The new six-wheeled rover looks like it but rolled out of a sci-fi movie.

The is a concept vehicle, meaning this blueprint won't even state on Mars. It was designed by The states based Parker Brothers Concepts, based on specifications provided past NASA. The vehicle was unveiled this week at Nasa'southward Kennedy Infinite Center Company Complex. It was commissioned as part of an educational program to get the public excited about space exploration.

The rover is an imposing vehicle at almost 28 feet (8.5 meters) long and 13 feet (4 meters) broad. It uses a bank of solar panels to provide ability to its 50-inch wheels. The designers say information technology could theoretically achieve speeds as loftier equally 70 mph, but on Mars' rocky terrain information technology would likely be limited to xv mph or less. The frame is made entirely of aluminum and carbon fiber, which helps cutting down on the weight. Nevertheless, this is a huge vehicle that would accept up a ton of cargo space on a Mars mission even if the weight was negligible.

This isn't just a rover, though. It was designer to split into two parts, with the front retaining two of the vi wheels. The back department contains a full laboratory, which tin remain stationary as the front section continues to sentry around. It's a neat blueprint, but there's no guarantee NASA will adopt it for its existent Mars rovers.

rover 2

With the lab section detached.

The bureau says it does plan to comprise some elements of the concept'southward design into the real thing at some betoken. If not the detachable lab, then maybe the ducted wheels, which were designed to let Martian dust pass through. It'south likely that whatever future Mars mission volition rely on a much more than modest rover for getting around the surface. Even if one of these massive rovers could exist transported, how many spare parts could you bring forth?

NASA's current timeline calls for humans to country on Mars in the 2030s, then it has some fourth dimension to figure out an official rover pattern. However, if SpaceX lives up to the hype and makes information technology to Mars beginning, it'll demand a rover pattern of its own much sooner.