NASA unveils Mars rover concept that puts humans in the driver’s seat.
Setting up human colonies on Mars has long been the stuff of blockbuster movies, but what about real life?
Apparently, we are another tiny step closer thanks to a new Mars Rover concept being worked on by NASA. The agency is showcasing a new concept rover designed to transport humans across the Red Plant, maybe even serve as the mass transport system for a budding Martian community, according to an article on Futurism.
The chunky, six-wheeled concept rover (it weighs over 2.7 tons) can reach speeds of up to 68 mph and features “life-support systems, navigation and communications systems, and design and materials that relate to conditions and resources on Mars,” the article says. The rover, which also includes a detachable lab, accommodates up to four astronauts and it runs off solar power along with a 700-volt battery.
The new concept rover was unveiled as part of the “Summer of Mars” promotion at the Kennedy Space Center. The next robotic Mars rover is set to land on the planet in 2020. While this concept rover may not the one that makes the trip, it showcases where NASA is going with a next-generation rover design.
Maybe it's no so far fetched to think that Mars could actually be the next frontier.