If you’re going to Mars, you want to show up in style.
As part of the “Summer of Mars” event, NASA-affiliated Kennedy Space Center debuted a 24-foot-long electric concept vehicle. While this design will most likely stay on Earth, it represents the look of future manned Mars rover missions, hopefully serving as the catalyst for innovative ideas and technical features.
This gigantic rover is mainly thanks to the Florida-based company Parker Brothers Concepts, featuring the duo Shanon Parker and Marc Parker. The brothers have made props for numerous films, including the futuristic motorcycles from the movie Tron. During construction, the brothers consulted with astronauts to spruce up the design.
“There is almost nothing on this vehicle that was not built in our shop. I mean, down to every little bracket and tab, nothing was ordered out of a catalog. We built the body, the chassis, the suspension, the wheels, the frame, the interior, the seats, the glass—everything on this vehicle had to be built completely from scratch,” says Marc, according to CBS.
Adding to its 24-foot length, the vehicle stands 11 feet tall and 13 feet wide. The rover seats a total of four people and includes a mock laboratory where Mars voyagers could conduct experiments. It’s powered by a 700-volt battery, which is charged by built-in solar panels.
“We needed a good surface area for the rock to climb over, but then we needed a lot of surface area so when you get into the sand it’s not going to sink, but it also has these vents in it so it’s not going to clog up. So it can go through really deep sand [and] not get stuck and not get clogged up all at the same time,” says Marc.
Even though this vehicle is on an earthbound mission to educate young minds, a Mars visit may be sooner rather than later. “We think that the first man or woman on Mars is somewhere between 8 and 18 years old as we speak,” says U.S. Astronaut Jon McBride, who flew two space shuttle missions.
If you want to check this vehicle out for yourself, it’ll be on display at the Kennedy Space Center’s “Journey to Mars” exhibit beginning June 5.
