the.com/mars rover
a golf-cart-speed robot geologist, 140 million miles from customer support.
means an uncrewed, remotely operated vehicle that drives across mars collecting data and samples where humans cannot yet go.
from traces to nasa's 1997 sojourner, a microwave-sized scout proving wheels could survive another planet; the lineage escalated through spirit, opportunity, curiosity, and perseverance into car-sized nuclear-powered labs.
opportunity's marathondrove 28 miles over nearly 15 years
time delaycommands take up to 24 minutes one way
top speedabout 0.1 mph, slower than a tortoise
power sourcecuriosity runs on decaying plutonium, not solar
for instance
perseverance — landed 2021, caching samples for future return to earth
curiosity — still roaming gale crater since 2012, laser zaps rocks
opportunity — lasted 14 years past its 90-day mission, died in a dust storm
zhurong — china's rover, utopia planitia, 2021