NASA Unveils Six-Wheeled Mars Concept Rover

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Florida – It looks like something out of this world, but that’s exactly where it would work. A futuristic Mars rover concept vehicle resembling a Bat Mobile was recently unveiled at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

The builders of the scientifically-themed Mars rover concept vehicle, Parker Brothers Concepts of Port Canaveral, Florida, incorporated input into its design from NASA subject matter experts. Construction of the Mars rover was commissioned by the Kennedy visitor complex without use of taxpayer dollars.

The rover operates on an electric motor, powered by solar panels and a 700-volt battery. The rover separates in the middle with the front area designed for scouting and equipped with a radio and navigation provided by the Global Positioning System. The back section serves as a laboratory which can disconnect for autonomous research. While this exact rover is not expected to operate on Mars, one or more of its elements could make its way into a rover astronauts will drive on the Red Planet.

Following several weeks on display at Kennedy’s visitor complex, the Mars rover concept vehicle will be displayed at several locations. From July through August, it will be displayed at several locations during a tour along the East Coast.

Article source: NASA / Bob Granath
Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett