NASA Unveils Mars Rover Concept Vehicle
Posted on June 10, 2017
NASA unveiled this sleek looking Mars Rover concept vehicle at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex earlier this week. It looks more like a truck than the little rovers we are used to seeing on Mars. The bigger size is so it can fit humans expected to be present on future manned Mars missions. The rover is 28 feet long and 14 feet wide. The large wheels are designed to help it travel over dunes, rocks and craters on the surface of Mars.
CBC.ca reports that the rover will be able to reach speeds of up to 110 km/h (68 mph). It has an electric motor that gets power from its solar panels and a 700-volt battery. The rover can separate into two parts. The back of the rover serves as a laboratory. The front area is designed for scouting and contains a radio and navigation systems.
Here a video of the rover being unveiled to the public. Steam was released to make a dramatic entrance for the vehicle. Astronaut Scott Kelly talked to crowds at the Summer of Mars kickoff event.