Build Your Own Mars Rover

Despite the fact there’s no space for a driver and it can’t even go a single mph, there’s no denying the fact the Mars Rover is one of the coolest vehicles ever built. The fine folks at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) have designed a 6-wheel rover using only commonly available components that can easily be purchased online. In keeping with their status as really cool people—they also released the NASA Travel Bureau Posters that you could print at home—they’ve released the plans, parts list and build instructions for free online so you can build your own Mars Rover at home. The Rover was designed as a teaching and learning experience for people interested in mechanical engineering, software, electronics or robots, so it’s more involved than your average weekend project. But if you’re willing to put the time in, you’ll have your very own rover with almost the same suspension as the Curiosity rover on Mars that can be controlled with an Xbox controller and Android app.