With manned space missions planned in the near future, scientists are looking for vehicles that can efficiently tread the rough terrain and be efficient in those environments. NASA has already unveiled a lunar rover, and scientists are at work, trying to develop better options. Pascal Lee of the Mars Institute, and his team are about to test how fit a Humvee would be for the Martian surface.
Researchers will take a modified Humvee to the Arctic, where the vehicle will cover over 1200 miles on the route of the Northwest Passage. The region will allow researchers to study the vehicle in a terrain far removed from civilization, in an environment it is likely to face on Mars. Moving at 12mph, the vehicle will take about four weeks to complete the journey; and will occasionally head to the coast for supplies and recent satellite photos of the ice cover to ensure they don’t get stuck in thin ice. On-board equipment will also help the team to determine the ice depth.
A Humvee may not end up being the future Mars rover, but it surely is laying an excellent groundwork for the job.
Via: Popular Mechanics
