Mars Rovers StudioHello visitors,
While it’s been a while since I last updated this website, rest assured that the 1:2 full-metal Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover motorized replica project is still underway. We have invested hundreds of thousands of hours and millions of dollars into this project. The estimated completion time is 2024.
Regards,
Peter Hong
While our design team is finalizing the design details of the 1:2 Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Replica, our building team has been verifying the designs using SLA 3D printing technology since 3 months ago.
We started the verification process from the robotic arm and the turret of the 1:2 Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Replica. They are parts of the most complicated structures, the Sample Caching System (SCS), in the 1:2 Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Replica.
The robotic arm (RA) of our 1:2 Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Replica has a total of 5 joints and each joint has one electronic motor inside which allows the robotic arm to make movements exactly the same as that of the real Perseverance Mars Rover on the Red planet.
The SHERLOC (and WATSON) in our 1:2 Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Replica has no scientific function but it is attached to the instrument turret via six vibration isolators arranged in three pairs which is the same way as that of the real Perseverance Mars Rover.
The PIXL in our 1:2 Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Replica has no scientific function but it is attached to the instrument turret via six actuated struts (Electric actuator) arranged in three pairs which is the same way as that of the real Perseverance Mars Rover.
The Drill in our 1:2 Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Replica can use exchangeable bits to drill on rock and collect ‘samples’ into the tube inside each bit. This assembly and its assistant structure are extremely complicated. We will need to do a lot of tests and changes of design to push the techniques to an affordable and available limit so as to make this part work as similar to that of the real Perseverance Mars Rover as possible.
The following photo shows the 3D-printed parts of the robotic arm and turret. Some parts are assembled and then dissembled so as to help the design team to optimize the design. The new design will be 3D-printed and assembled with the ‘correct’ parts. Although we have done simulations in the design software, sometimes, a large part of the design is still proven totally wrong after we assemble parts in the physical world and therefore we have to roll back to the beginning and redesign everything. This kind of iteration happened a lot in the process of building our 1:2 Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Replica, let alone that of the real Perseverance Rover now on Mars.
The X-Band High-Gain Antenna of the Perseverance Mars Rover communicates directly with the Deep Space Network on Earth. Its signal is focused as a beam so as to allow higher data rates and therefore, the antenna should point its radio beam toward Earth. Its 2 degrees of freedom mechanical steering system (two-axis gimbal) grants a low energy-cost way to change the antenna’s pose rather than change the direction and position of the entire Perseverance Mars Rover. One motor of the steering system rotates the antenna horizontally and the other one rotates it up or down.
The X-Band High-Gain Antenna of the Perseverance Mars Rover is mounted mid-aft portside of the rover’s deck.
The X-Band High-Gain Antenna of our 1:2 Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Replica has the exact same mechanical structure as that of the Perseverance Mars Rover on the Red Planet. The gimbal structure of our 1:2 Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Replica can point and even track a simulating target (e.g. an Earth photo). I will explain more about it in my future posts.
Here are two screenshots of the X-Band High-Gain Antenna of our 1:2 Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Replica.
In the rear of the Perseverance Mars Rover, as its predecessor the Curiosity Mars Rover, there is a very eye-catching big ‘package’ slanted. This part called a “Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator” (MMRTG), powers the Perseverance Mars Rover by converting heat from the natural radioactive decay of Plutonium into electricity. The MMRTG also charges two lithium-ion rechargeable batteries to meet peak demands of the Perseverance Mars Rover’s activities when the demand temporarily exceeds the MMRTG’s steady electrical output levels. Furthermore, MMRTG also provides heat to keep the scientific instruments in the Perseverance Mars Rover’s body at their correct working temperature.
The MMRTG of our 1:2 Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Replica has the exact visual presentation of the real Perseverance Mars Rover on the Red Planet. But please rest assured that there is any radioisotope inside the MMRTG of our 1:2 Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Replica. Our 1:2 Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Replica is powered by a set of rechargeable batteries.
The remote sensing mast and the camera system on its top are like the neck and head of the Perseverance Mars Rover. This part is one of the two most iconic visual identities of the Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover. The other one is its legs and wheels, of course. So when you see them, you will immediately realize that you are seeing a recent Mars Rover. However, since the Perseverance Mars Rover is designed based on the Mars Science Laboratory’s Curiosity rover configuration (the Curiosity Mars Rover), it’s difficult to distinguish them with a quick glance at just their masts.
The mast of the Perseverance Mars Rover has a motor in its bottom used to raise it from horizontal status to vertical after the rover landed on Mars so as to elevate the cameras to the highest position of the Perseverance Mars Rover. After the mast is raised, a 2 DoFs (dimensions of freedom) motor set can rotate the top camera box which hosts all the cameras horizontally and vertically.
The mast on our 1:2 Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Replica has exactly the same motorized structure as that on the real Perseverance Mars Rover now on the Red Planet. It can raise the mast to vertical status and allow the camera box to change its orientation horizontally and vertically.
We completed the design of the mast on our 1:2 Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Replica a few months ago but I was too busy to post its progress because we were busy building its 3D printed prototype to test the design of all its parts.
Here are two photos of the mast’s horizontal status and vertical status of our 1:2 Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Replica.
When the Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover was on the journey to the Red Planet Mars, its legs, Rocker and Bogie, and wheels were stowed in a particular pose so as to minimize the general size of the Perseverance Rover. which allows it to be housed inside the spacecraft.
About 12 seconds before TD (touchdown), around 66 feet (20 meters) above the Martian surface, the Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover unstowed its and then locking its legs and wheels into landing position.
Our 1:2 Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Replica doesn’t have a mechanism to realize the automatic change between the stowed and the unstowed poses. However, you can switch between the two poses manually.
The following screenshot shows how the stowed pose of our 1:2 Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Replica looks like in the 3D industrial design software.
The suspension system of the Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover is one of its most interesting structures. It uses mechanical leverage to spread the weight of the rover to each of the Perseverance Rover’s wheels relatively equally. This ingenious structure also minimizes the tilt of the Perseverance Rover when it drives over uneven terrain.
Among the three components,
“Differential-Rocker-Bogie”, of the Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover’s suspension system, the most strategic one is the differential. Without it, the weight cannot pass to the other side forcefully. Therefore, in some situations, the three wheels on one side have to bear a major proportion of the weight of the Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover. While with the “Differential”, the burden is shared on both sides forcefully.
While the connections of all the joints of the “Differential-Rocker-Bogie” suspension system are purely mechanical, the steering of the two front wheels and two rear wheels are realized by motors. This arrangement allows the Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover to turn a full 360 degrees in place. Also, there is a driving motor for each of the six wheels at the terminals of the suspension structure.
Since we are building our 1:2 Mars Perseverance Rover Replica as a moveable and motorized replica, all the mechanical structures of the suspension system must be made exactly the same as the real Mars rover. And meanwhile, the structure must be strong enough to withstand the weight of the Mars Rover Perseverance replica. The steering motors and driving motors of our 1:2 Mars Perseverance Rover replica allows it to steer and drive exactly the same as the real Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover.
The robotic arm and the turret at its front end is one of the most complicated components in the Mars Rover 2020 Perseverance.
It requires five motors to realize its five degrees of freedom.
In the real Perseverance Rover, the turret is like a hand that carries cameras, analyzers for on-site studying and sample catching. The scientific tools mounted on the turret are SHERLOC and WATSON and PIXL.
In our 1:2 Mars Rover 2020 Perseverance Replica, all the parts are rebuilt in a ultra-detailed way.
The following 7 screenshots are from the 3D model we are building. The next step is to use advanced techniques to build them in the physical world. Stay tuned!
We put the 1:2 Perseverance Mars Rover Motorized Replica project on hold for a few months but now we are back to continue the project.
The recent progress is smooth and fast. We will post photos and videos for the 1:2 Perseverance Mars Rover Motorized Replica very soon.
We won’t define the 1:2 Perseverance Mars Rover Motorized Replica a super-high end toy, but an ultra-realistic ultra-detailed masterpiece for super collectors.
After 4 month-preparation, on June 1st, the Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover started to leave the landing site and to get ready for its science campaign – to collect rock samples. The goal is to have 43 samples after this campaign is completed.
We are building a 1:2 Peseverance Mars Rover Replica, which will perfectly replicate the appearance structure of the real Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover in very fine details, but with no scientific functions, so you will also find 43 sample tube replicas inside the Perseverance Mars Rover Replica.
Before June 1st, the Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover had tested MOXIE, taken over 75k photos, supported Ingenuity’s flight tests on top of completing all its systems’ health checks. For our Perseverance Mars Rover Replica, you will also be able to take photos and videos. There will also be a small screen on the Mars Rover Replica for you to see if everything is connected well and operates normally.
In the next few months, the Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover will be exploring an area of 4 km^2 – the first collecting site, and it will have traveled for 2.5 to 5 km of distance. The reason to choose this location is that it was under over 100 meters of water 3.8 billion years ago, and by studying the rocks here, we will learn so much about Mars.
With our Mars Rover Replica, you can simulate most of the moves that the real Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover does although with no real scientific functions. If you are interested in our Mars Rover Replica, please check [1:2 Perseverance Mars Rover Replica Design and Building Diary].