🚀 awesome rovers 🚀

ExoMy is a 3D printed rover, designed as a low-cost robot platform for hobbyists, educators and researchers. All hardware and software is Open Source and was designed with ease-of-use and reliability in mind. The appearance of ExoMy can easily be customised, making it an interactive robotic platform for kids and adults alike.

The cost of ExoMy can range from 250€ to 500€. 3D-printing time is estimated at 2 weeks, and assembly time is estimated at 2 days.

• ExoMy GitHub
• ExoMy Landing Page

The Iris rover, developed by students at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), designed to demonstrate the capabilities of small, lightweight robotic systems on the Moon. Its mission includes capturing scientific images of the lunar terrain and testing new localization techniques.

In January 2024, Iris was launched aboard Astrobotic’s Peregrine Lunar Lander. However, an anomaly with the lander prevented a successful soft landing on the lunar surface. Despite this setback, the Iris team utilized the opportunity to gather valuable data during the mission, contributing to future lunar exploration endeavors.

Further readings

• Iris - Website
• Iris - Instagram
• CMU - Iris Rover Team Prepares for May Launch
• CMU - A Heartbeat in Space, A Legacy on Earth

Kalman is one of two planetary rovers built by AGH Space Systems, following the earlier Phobos model with advanced new technical solutions. This agile, four-wheeled research vehicle features vision systems for remote control and terrain documentation. It’s equipped with a manipulator for handling objects, performing basic repairs, and operating control panels, as well as a mobile lab for soil sample analysis.

A small and lightweight LEGO set featuring a model of NASA’s Perseverance rover. It consists of 83 pieces and includes a two-page instruction manual. Despite its compact size, it features a rotating arm mechanism. It is an excellent, subtle decorative addition to any setting.

• Instruction manual

Lunar Zebro is a lunar rover project developed by students at Delft University of Technology as part of the Zebro program. This small, autonomous rover is designed to demonstrate advanced navigation and self-reliance on the harsh lunar surface.

The rover will explore the lunar surface around its lander, capturing images to study the effects of traditional landing methods on the lunar surface. This research aims to improve future mission planning and assess environmental impact. After completing its main mission, the rover will attempt to travel as far as possible to test the durability of its systems.

Further readings

• Lunar Zebro Webiste
• Lunar Zebro’s Moon Mission
• Lunar Zebro’s Terrestrial Mission

The creation of Krakow’s first rover aimed to advance space robotics knowledge and participate in international student competitions. Phobos was designed as a platform to gain essential experience for future rovers and to compete in the European Rover Challenge 2016.

Sojourner was the first wheeled vehicle to land on another planet, with a mission planned for just 7 days. Remarkably, it operated for 83 days, providing crucial insights into Mars and paving the way for future exploration.

U.E.R is an universal rover built by two amazing silesian students Rafał and Dominik to win Gdynia Explory and Olimpiada Innowacji Technicznych U.E.R Github repository, Equiped with DIY drone, smart technical solutions like full 3D printed gearboxes, the rover was ready to conquer the world. This agile, four-wheeled research vehicle features vision systems for remote control and terrain documentation. It’s equipped with a manipulator for handling objects.

Lunokhod 1 was the first robotic rover to explore the Moon, launched by the Soviet Union in 1970 as part of the Luna 17 mission. It was designed to operate for three lunar days, and surpassed expectations by functioning for 321 earth days, during which time it covered 10.54 km and transmitted over 20,000 images and 206 high-resolution panoramas. The rover weighted 840 kg and featured eight independently powered wheels, solar-rechargeable batteries and cameras. Scientific instruments onboard included a soil penetrometer, x-ray spectrometer, and a French laser retroreflector. Lunokhod 1’s final position remained unknown until 2010, when researchers pinpointed it for renewed laser-ranging experiments. It ceased operations in October 1971, contributing valuable insights into the properties of lunar terrain.

• Lunokhod 1 on Wikipedia
• Luna 17 on Wikipedia

• Connected to the lander by a 15-meter power cable.
• Equipped with two small metal rods for autonomous obstacle avoidance.
• Built 26 years before NASA’s first rover in 1997.
• Two PrOP-M rovers were built for Mars 2 and Mars 3 missions (possibly more for further missions).
• After landing, meant to be placed on the Martian surface by a 6-joint robotic arm, moving within the view of the lander’s cameras.
• Carried two instruments, a dynamic penetrometer and a gamma-ray densitometer.
• Their tracks in the Martian soil would have helped analyze the soil’s material properties.