Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Space Rovers

EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SPACE ROVERS Space rovers are vehicles designed to move across the surface of celestial bodies and planets. From manned moon rovers to incredible autonomous laboratories, they play a crucial role in our pursuit of cosmic knowledge. MARS ROVERS These autonomous vehicles successfully landed on Mars and travelled on the surface: PICTURES COURTESY OF NASA MER1-OPPORTUNITY 180kg 0000 Destination: Mars Country: USA Mission: To see if life on Mars was ever possible Landing Date: 25 January 2004 Status: Active. Currently exploring Solander Point (a hill on Mars) Distance travelled on surface: 42.2 km 1.6 m MER2-SPIRIT 180kg Destination: Mars Country: USA Mission: Same as its twin, Opportunity Landing Date: 4 January 2004 Status: Terminated 22 March 2010- Became stuck in soil Distance travelled on surface: 7.7 km 1.6 m SOJOURNER 11.5 kg Destination: Mars Country: USA Mission: To demonstrate the technology that was needed to land a rover on Mars Landing Date: 24 July 1997 Status: Terminated three months after landing 65 cm Distance travelled on surface: 100 metres CURIOSITY 900kg Destination: Mars Country: USA Mission: Look for signs of life. Study Martian geology and climate Landing Date: 6 August 2012 Status: On its way to Logan's Pass Distance travelled on surface: 10 km 2.9 m THE NEXT GENERATION OF MARS ROVERS: ExoMars 310 kg Other dimensions *unknown Destination: Mars Country: Europe and Russia Mission: Six month search for past or present life Proposed launch date: May 2018 or August 2020 Status: Testing phase MARS 2020 Payload of 40kg Other dimensions unknown Destination: Mars Country: USA Mission: Look for signs of life and collect samples Proposed launch date: April-May 2018 or July-September 2020 Status: Design phase MOON ROVERS МOON The moon may be a lot closer than Mars, but getting there is still a big achievement, These space rovers were, and continue to be, pioneers: LUNOKHOD 1 907 kg Destination: Moon Country: USSR Missian: Take close-up pictures and analyse soil Landing Date: November 1970 Status: Terminated in 1971 Distance travelled on surface: 10 km 2.3m LUNAR ROVING VEHICLE (LRV-001/002/003) 490 kg Destination: Moon Country: USA Mission: To assist manned missions Landing date: 1971-1972 Status: Not in use Distance: 27-36 km 3.1 m LUNOKHOD 2 907 Kg Destination: Moon Country: USSR Mission: Same as Lunokhod 1 Landing Date: 15 January 1973 Status: Terminated in 1973 Distance travelled on surface: 38.6 km 2.3m YUTU (JADE RABBIT) 140 Kg Destination: Moon Country: China Mission: Demonstrate and develop key technologies for future missions Landing Date: 14 December 2013 Status: Stationary but active and transmitting data Distance travelled on surface: 112 m 1.5m DISTANCES DRIVEN ON MARS AND THE MOON: MARS MOON Okm 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 Opportunity (USA) 42 km Lunokhod 2: 38.6km (USSR) 38.6km Lunar roving vehicle LRV-003 (USA) 35.74km Lunar roving vehicle LRV-001 (USA) 27.8km Lunar roving vehicle LRV-002 (USA) 27.1km Lunokhod 1 (USSR) 10.5km Curiosity (USA) 10km Spirit (USA) 7.7 km Yutu (CHINA): 0.12km Soujorner (USA): 0.1km design911.co.uk 1.14 m 1.5 m 30cm 1.35m- 1.35m