[ad_1]
This lively little rover uses 3D printed parts and runs on a Raspberry Pi computer.
THAT
Most Mars rovers are still pretty (hello, NASA Curiosity), but they’re about to be overtaken by a new kid on the block: the ExoMy rover, a Mars vehicle model you can build yourself with 3D printed components.
ExoMy is based on Rosalind Franklin ExoMars rover of the European Space Agency. ESA has made the ExoMy open source plans available for free online via GitHub.
“We have focused on making the design as accessible and accessible as possible,” ESA’s Miro Voellmy said in a statement Monday. “Use a Raspberry Pi computer and standard electronic parts available online and at any hobby store.”
The agency estimates it will cost between $ 300 and $ 600 to make the rover, which is about 16 inches (42 centimeters) tall.
Wells of Mars: Look into the abyss with these wild images from NASA
See all photos
ExoMy looks a lot like its full-size counterpart. It has six wheels and borrows “triple-bogie” suspension that will allow Rosalind Franklin to comfortably navigate the rugged terrain of Mars. The camera tree has a customizable face and is designed to wear different hats, in case you want it to look even cuter.
ESA has released a video of an ExoMy in action showing the small vehicle rolling over rocks and sand. “ExoMy is more than a toy in that it can serve as a low-cost research and prototyping platform for robotic experiments,” said Voellmy.
Rosalind Franklin was originally scheduled to launch in 2020, but technical problems and the coronavirus pandemic delayed it to 2022.
Mars is set to become a hectic place in the coming years. NASA, China and the UAE have launched missions to the red planet this year and will all arrive in February 2021. NASA and China will attempt to land rovers on the surface.
ESA may have to wait a while for Rosalind Franklin to reach, but in the meantime Earth could end up hosting plenty of brave ExoMy rovers.
Source link
