Designing A Mars Rover To Launch In 2020
<p>The rover for this mission would be based on the Mars Science Laboratory's Curiosity rover configuration. It would be car-sized, about 10 feet long (not including the arm), 9 feet wide, and 7 feet tall (about 3 meters long, 2.7 meters wide, and 2.2 meters tall).
</p><p>In some sense, the rover parts for this mission will be similar to what any living creature would need to keep it "alive" and able to explore.
</p><p>The rover would have a:
body: a structure that protects the rovers' "vital organs"
brains: computers to process information
temperature controls: internal heaters, a layer of insulation, and more
"neck and head": a mast for the cameras to give the rover a human-scale view
eyes and other "senses": cameras and instruments that give the rover information about its environment
arm and "hand": a way to extend its reach and collect rock samples for study
wheels and "legs": parts for mobility
energy: batteries and power
communications: antennas for "speaking" and "listening"
</p>
The specific components would depend on current pre-project planning and the development of science objectives.
NASA/JPL-Caltech
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