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3D Print Your Own Mars Rover Replica for $600

ExoMy is the younger, smaller, cuter sibling of Europe's Rosalind Franklin ExoMars rover.

By Stephanie Mlot
December 1, 2020
(Photo via European Space Agency)


A global pandemic can get lonely, especially during the holidays. Avoid spreading disease and make a new friend with the European Space Agency's ExoMy rover.

The smaller, more animated "sibling" of Europe's Rosalind Franklin ExoMars rover is available now to print and assemble at home. Anyone with $600 and access to a 3D printer can build their own ExoMy; find the source code, step-by-step assembly guide, and tutorials on GitHub.

"We focused on making the design as affordable and accessible as possible," according to ESA robotics trainee Miro Voellmy, who tipped equipment like a Raspberry Pi and off-the-shelf electronics.

The structural elements take about two weeks to 3D print out of Polylactic Acid (PLA), a biodegradable material made of plant starch. Once assembled, ExoMy stands at a proud 16.5 inches tall—a fraction of big sis's impressive 6.5-foot stature—with non-functional replica drill, solar panels, and camera mast.

Its "triple-bogie" suspension design allows the rover to cross obstacles as high as its own wheels without falling over; each tire has its own motor and protruding tread for better traction over rough ground. If you intend to keep ExoMy indoors only, ESA includes instructions for printing flexible sleeves that slide over the wheels for smoother passage (and less damage to your floors). Use a gamepad or mobile device to steer.

ExoMy vs. Rosalind Franklin ExoMars rover
(Photo via European Space Agency) ((Photo via European Space Agency))

"We aimed to make the design as accessible and fun as possible," agency trainee Maximillian Ehrhardt said in a statement. ExoMy began its life as a one-off demonstrator at the 2018 ESA Open Day, where visitors could drive it across the lab's Mars Yard test facility. "It was a big hit, which made us think about a version that people could build for themselves," Ehrhardt added.

Best of all: It comes with interchangeable eyes, mouths, and hats, so you can customize the wee machine for every occasion. Eat your robotic heart out, Rosalind Franklin ExoMars rover.

"ExoMy is more than a toy as it can serve as a low-cost research and prototyping platform for robotics experiments," Voellmy added. "Our hope is that school or university students will make their own ExoMy, to become familiar with robotics, and learn about the full-sized ExoMars rover, which is scheduled for launch in 2022."

The agency is also working on a mini version of its speed-optimized Sample Fetch Rover, planned as part of ESA's contribution to the International Mars Sample Return endeavor.

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About Stephanie Mlot

Contributor

Stephanie Mlot

B.A. in Journalism & Public Relations with minor in Communications Media from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP)

Reporter at The Frederick News-Post (2008-2012)

Reporter for PCMag and Geek.com (RIP) (2012-present)

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