NASA PUBLISHED THE PLANS FOR ITS MARS ROVER SO YOU CAN BUILD ONE
NASA published the plans for a scaled-down version of its six-wheel Mars rover, and it is built entirely from consumer hardware.
by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
RoboticsOpen-hardware
- difficulty
- ●●●●○
- time
- a month of evenings
- license
- Apache-2.0
- repo
- repo ACTIVE9,558 stars
●●●●○ · a month of evenings · Apache-2.0 · 9,558 stars · repo ACTIVE
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
- 3D printer + filament — printable parts — files are in the repo
- Electronic parts — full list with part numbers in the repo BOM
- Dev board / microcontroller — runs the project firmware
- Soldering kit + basic tools — one-time buy, serves every future build
Partner
COMPAREE VERDICT
This is a serious robotics platform, not a weekend kit. The rocker-bogie suspension is the real draw: it keeps all six wheels on the ground while climbing obstacles, with no springs — the linkage itself distributes the load. Corner wheels steer independently, so it turns in place. The repository is thorough: CAD, parts list, wiring, software, and a gallery of community builds. The trap is the scale. Ten motors, aluminium structure, and a parts list that runs to 1,600 dollars before shipping. The assembly is well-documented, but it is a month of evenings, not a few hours. The repository says no prior skills are required, which is optimistic — you will need basic electronics, mechanical assembly, and enough patience to debug a ten-motor drivetrain. If you want to learn robotics and can justify the cost, this is a real research platform. If you want a rover to drive around the garden in a weekend, the project itself points to cheaper alternatives.
IN THE REPO
NOT IN THE REPO
- —Apache 2.0 licence, commercial use allowed.
- —Full CAD, parts list, wiring diagrams, and software are in the repository.
- —Every part is consumer off-the-shelf, mostly GoBilda hardware — nothing has to be machined.
- —The repository says no prior skills are required, but the build is large and the assembly is not trivial.
- —The electronics are designed with expansions in mind: a head display and a robot arm are documented.
- —Total build cost is around $1,600 USD, excluding tools and shipping — the project itself compares this to the price of a TurtleBot 3 Waffle.
Can I build this?
Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.
Partner · KickstarterHeyGears G1: 10M+ colors and transparent parts in one print, plus UV printing on flat objects. Figures, parts and labels — no painting.
Videos
JPL Open Source Rover v2 in action
No official YouTube channel. The README links community walkthroughs; the good ones are by builders, not JPL.
Gallery
Start here
Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.
- 1.Read the README and the mechanical assembly guide in the repository. (The repository is thorough. Start with the overview, then move to the parts list.)
- 2.Order the parts. The project uses mostly GoBilda hardware, and the parts list is detailed.(Check lead times — some GoBilda parts can take weeks to ship.)
- 3.Assemble the mechanical structure first, before wiring anything.(The rocker-bogie linkage is the hardest part. Take your time and follow the CAD.)
Resources
Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.
KNOWN ISSUES
- The $1,600 estimate excludes shipping and tools. If you do not already own hex keys, wire strippers, and a soldering iron, add another $100–200.
- GoBilda parts can have long lead times. Order everything at once and expect to wait.
- The repository says no prior skills are required, which is optimistic. You need basic electronics, mechanical assembly, and comfort with a command line.
- The rocker-bogie suspension is clever, but it is also the part most likely to bind or misalign during assembly. Follow the CAD exactly.
- The electronics are designed for expansion, but that means more wiring and more debugging. If you skip the head display and robot arm, you still have ten motors to wire and test.
- The rover is large. Make sure you have space to build it and somewhere to drive it — it is not a desktop project.
Is this the actual Mars rover?
No. It is a scaled-down version of the six-wheel rover design that JPL uses on Mars, built entirely from consumer parts. The suspension design is the same, but the rover itself is smaller and slower.
Do I need to machine anything?
No. Every part is consumer off-the-shelf, mostly GoBilda hardware. The project was designed to avoid machining.
Can I build this with no prior experience?
The repository says no prior skills are required, but that is optimistic. You need basic electronics, mechanical assembly, and comfort with a command line. If you have built a robot before, you will be fine. If this is your first project, expect to spend time learning.
What is the rocker-bogie suspension?
It is the linkage that keeps all six wheels on the ground while the rover climbs over obstacles. There are no springs — the linkage itself distributes the load so the body stays level while individual wheels ride up and over rocks.
Can I use this for research?
Yes. The electronics are designed with expansions in mind (head display, robot arm), and the rover is a real research platform for rugged terrain. Apache 2.0 licence allows commercial use.
Community builds
No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.
Discussion1
FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM
The repository lists the total build cost at around $1,600 and compares it to a TurtleBot 3 Waffle — what would you use a rover like this for that justifies the cost?
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
JPL builds the rovers that explore the surface of Mars. This project exists to get people into mechanical engineering, electronics, software, and robotics by publishing a scaled-down version of the same six-wheel design. It has been going since 2017 and is actively maintained.
Keep building — related projects
Same category, picked by how close they are to this build.
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DISCLAIMER
- Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
- Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
- Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
CompareeTEAM18d ago
Practical notes from our verification: the repository has 9.6k stars and 1.5k forks, is actively maintained by NASA JPL, and includes a gallery of community builds. The parts list is detailed and every part is consumer off-the-shelf, mostly GoBilda hardware. The rocker-bogie suspension is the real engineering: no springs, just a linkage that keeps all six wheels on the ground while climbing obstacles. The repository says no prior skills are required, which is optimistic — this is a month of evenings, not a weekend, and you need basic electronics and mechanical assembly. The $1,600 estimate excludes shipping and tools. The project itself points to cheaper open-source alternatives for people who want them, noting they are slower, weaker, and more fragile.