Category Archives: Mars Rover

Simple Step-Climbing Robot Climbs Like It’s On Mars

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[Navin Khambhala] is a master at making simple what most would expect to be a complex build. Now he’s done it again with a remote controlled robot that can easily climb steps and role over rough terrain. The parts count is small and many of them are commonly available.

The suspension that makes it all possible is the rocker-bogie. It’s the same suspension we’ve all seen used by the various rovers ambling around on Mars. The whole frame is made of PVC pipes with some connecting metal bars, and each wheel has its own twelve-volt DC motor. Motor control is …read more

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Extra Curricular Tour of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory

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Last week, Hackaday had the chance to tour NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. Tours are given all the time at JPL, but ours was special. Steve Collins invited us, and acted as our tour guide, and a new friendship with Michelle Easter got us a look inside the labs where equipment for the 2020 Mars mission is being built.

I’ve known Steve Collins for a few years now, since being blown away by his talk during the Hackaday 10th Anniversary mini-con back in 2014. He extended the invitation then to tour JPL with him, but since I …read more

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Extra Curricular Tour of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory

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Last week, Hackaday had the chance to tour NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. Tours are given all the time at JPL, but ours was special. Steve Collins invited us, and acted as our tour guide, and a new friendship with Michelle Easter got us a look inside the labs where equipment for the 2020 Mars mission is being built.

I’ve known Steve Collins for a few years now, since being blown away by his talk during the Hackaday 10th Anniversary mini-con back in 2014. He extended the invitation then to tour JPL with him, but since I …read more

Continue reading Extra Curricular Tour of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory→