Rovers as a whole represent one of humanity's greatest successes on Mars. We have learned a lot about the red planet thanks to them, and there is still a huge amount of science ahead. The people at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory did an extraordinary job designing their rovers. And now, they want you to build one. The "Open Source Rover" is a scale model made with common parts, a Raspberry Pi as its brain, and a final cost under 2,500 dollars.
The latest news from the Curiosity rover is that it experienced a software failure in its main computer. The backup system activated successfully, and it will continue like that until they identify the original fault. In the case of Opportunity, the dust storms battered it a bit, and it entered hibernation mode. A new rover is supposed to reach the Martian surface in 2020. However, the new delay of James Webb and the peculiar situation the International Space Station is going through (mysterious holes, astronauts rescued at the last moment) do not help at all. The wish is that these true geniuses in all agencies can continue advancing space exploration and overcome every challenge, but the one we are going to share now is not for them, but for us. How does building a rover at home sound?
Open Source Rover: A DIY Rover with Raspberry Pi
Or in the workshop, or why not at school. An intense and demanding science project like few others. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory shared all the technical details of its Open Source Rover, designed with relatively easy to obtain parts. This miniature rover has the same main characteristics as its big brother, starting with the Rocker-Bogie suspension that keeps all six wheels on the ground at all times, the differential pivot that transfers weight from one side to the other while climbing, and Ackerman steering on all six wheels, which establishes in which direction they point and how fast they should move.
The software platform combines an Android app and a Raspberry Pi or similar that acts as the brain. The rover's control system is based on an Xbox gamepad, and the master parts list (which for some reason is in .xlsx format being an open source project) has everything else. Besides medium knowledge in mechanics, electronics, and programming, the Open Source Rover requires... money. How much? The official estimate suggests less than 2,500 dollars. Have fun!
