Build Your very Own Mars Rover (DIY)
An example of an Open Source Rover built by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Ever wanted to build your very own Martian rover?
Thanks to a new NASA-JPL project, 200 man-hours (and an investment of around $2,500), now you can.
The project, called Open Source Rover (“OSR”), allows enthusiasts the opportunity to build a scaled down version of the Mars Curiosity rover. According to the website:
We designed a driving 6-wheel rover with almost the same suspension system as the real rovers on Mars, but using only commonly available components that you can easily buy online and assemble in a garage.
We provide the parts list and the build instructions, you provide the hands, brains, and elbow grease to put it all together.
The OSR is intended as a fun, meaningful and affordable project designed to help inspire the next generation of scientists and engineering enthusiasts.
Think you can improve on the design? That’s what they’re hoping.
"While the OSR [Open Source Rover] instructions are quite detailed, they still allow the builder the option of making their own design choices," JPL officials said. "For example, builders can decide what controllers to use, weigh the trade-offs of adding USB cameras or solar panels and even attach science payloads. The baseline design of OSR … will allow users to choose how they want to customize and add to their rover, touching on multiple hardware and software principles along the way."
“We released this rover as a base model. We hope to see the community contribute improvements and additions, and we’re really excited to see what the community will add to it,” said project manager Mik Cox. “I would love to have had the opportunity to build this rover in high school, and I hope that through this project we provide that opportunity to others.”
If you want to build your own rover, instructions are available for download here.
