Well, there is a glimmer of light for the backup for the latest-gen Mars rovers.
Moonlight, to be precise, because the Moon just might be where the test model is headed next.
Before JPL tells a Mars rover to do something it's never done before, they try it on their poor Earth sibling first.
But now, NASA is seeing big potential for the test model, and it may soon get its chance to shine.
After all, with a Moon Base getting built very soon, we need robotic explorers figuring out as much as they can about humanity's next home.
Nobody likes to be the reserve driver. You don't want to sit back and be "support" while some other guy goes and gets all the glory; you want to show the world what you can do! And if you happen to be a six-wheeled robot built by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, you actually want to show another world what you can do. Well, there is a glimmer of light for the backup for the latest-gen Mars rovers. Moonlight, to be precise, because the Moon just might be where the test model is headed next. And while that may not be a guarantee, it is a PROMISE.
The latest and greatest rovers on Mars are the twins Curiosity and Perseverance. Well actually, they're triplets, since JPL also built a third one to stay right here on Earth. This gives the engineers a way to diagnose problems that the Mars pair encounter, whether through tough terrain or component breakdowns. Before JPL tells a Mars rover to do something it's never done before, they try it on their poor Earth sibling first. Basically, the little (SUV-sized) guy takes all the punishment of testing without any of the glory of discovery.
But now, NASA is seeing big potential for the test model, and it may soon get its chance to shine. During a news conference on Tuesday, NASA announced that the agency is "thinking very hard right now" about sending the unsung hero to the Moon, specifically its south pole. After all, with a Moon Base getting built very soon, we need robotic explorers figuring out as much as they can about humanity's next home. Curiosity and Perseverance have all the qualities NASA would need, such as a high payload capacity for lots of measurement equipment and a plutonium-powered MMRTG generator to work in the long polar nights. But those two are on Mars and aren't leaving anytime soon. You know who is ready to go?
