Peter Cao
Ever wanted to have your very own Mars rover? Well, if you have a 3D printer and $600, that is now a possibility. European Space Agency’s new ExoMy rover is a robot you can build right from the comfort of your own home.
The machine is 42cm (16-inches) tall and is a replica of ESA’s Rosalind Franklin rover, which was slated to launch in 2020 but is now rescheduled to 2022. ExoMy features a camera on its face that can be customized with different hats to make it even cuter than it already is.
Instructions, guides, and everything you need can be found on GitHub. The ESA estimates that most people will be spending around €500 (or $600) to build ExoMy. The Space Agency says that it’ll take roughly two weeks to 3D print everything.
Despite its high price, the ESA tried to make everything super affordable by using parts readily available parts.
“We focused on making the design as affordable and accessible as possible. It uses a Raspberry Pi computer and off-the-shelf electronic parts available online and at any hobby shop.”
And if you don’t have $600 just laying around, you can admire ExoMy from the comfort of your own home thanks to a video the ESA shared (seen above).
Source: European Space Agency via Engadget
