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NASA's New Rover Prototype Drove 16 Miles in a Week, 10 Times Faster Than Anything It Has on Mars

NASA’s ERNEST rover prototype drove 16 miles in 37 hours during desert testing, hitting 0.6mph. That is 10x faster than Perseverance or Curiosity on Mars.

NASA's New Rover Prototype Drove 16 Miles in a Week, 10 Times Faster Than Anything It Has on Mars

TL;DR

  • NASA's ERNEST rover prototype is significantly faster than current Mars rovers, covering 16 miles in 37 hours at speeds up to 0.6 mph.
  • ERNEST features an active suspension system with powered joints, allowing it to overcome obstacles, drive sideways, and utilize various gaits, unlike the rigid rocker-bogie system on previous rovers.
  • Its navigation system was trained using reinforcement learning in simulation, enabling faster decision-making without constant human commands from Earth.
  • The prototype has undergone testing in simulated Martian and lunar conditions, with potential applications for future Moon missions.
  • While ERNEST is a promising prototype, it is not yet flight-qualified, and a timeline for a mission-ready version has not been announced.

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