BUILD NASA-JPL'S OPEN-SOURCE MARS ROVER
JPL open-sourced a six-wheel rocker-bogie rover you can actually build — the V2 redesign dropped 3D printing for off-the-shelf parts, so it's a bolt-together now.
by NASA-JPL (lead: Achille Verheye)
RoboticsSpace
- difficulty
- ●●●●○
- time
- several weekends
- license
- Apache-2.0
- repo
- repo ACTIVE9,535 stars
●●●●○ · several weekends · Apache-2.0 · 9,535 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
We'd build this — it's one of the most legitimately buildable 'famous' robots out there. The 2023 V2/V3 redesign is the reason: JPL deliberately ripped out custom 3D-printed parts and switched to commodity GoBilda hardware, so today it's 'order the BOM, follow OnShape, bolt it together' rather than a print-and-pray marathon. What we love is the honesty of the docs — a ReadTheDocs site, an active Slack, and named community builds (Resilience, Samwise, AUDACITY). It is not cheap and it is not a weekend: budget band $$$ and 100+ hours. But you end up with a real rocker-bogie rover that survives uneven ground, and the pedigree is literally NASA-JPL.
IN THE REPO
NOT IN THE REPO
- —CAD lives in OnShape (cloud) — you view/derive it, there are no downloadable STL packs in V2+
- —Software is a separate repo (nasa-jpl/osr-rover-code)
- —OSHWA-certified open hardware (UID US002551)
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
NASA-JPL Open-Source Rover (OSR) v2 going for a ride0:32
Short official clip from lead maintainer Achille Verheye — the docs, not the video, are the real guide.
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 docs (the real build guide)
- 2.Open the CAD in OnShape (public via the README link)
- 3.Order the BOM (mostly GoBilda + electronics)
- 4.Add the software (separate repo)
- 5.Join the community Slack (where builders help each other)
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
- Image links live on the 'master' branch, not 'main' — a small repo quirk
- There are no downloadable STL packs in V2+ — the CAD is OnShape-cloud only
- This is a big-ticket, multi-weekend build — not a first robot
Is this the actual NASA rover?
It's JPL's official open-source educational rover — a rocker-bogie six-wheeler inspired by the real Mars rovers, released and maintained by JPL engineers. It's not flight hardware, but the design lineage is genuine.
Do I need a 3D printer?
Not for V2+. The redesign deliberately switched to off-the-shelf structural parts (GoBilda) to make it more repeatable. Older versions used printed parts.
How hard is it really?
Mechanically approachable, but long — 100+ hours — and the software side wants basic ROS/Linux comfort. Great second or third robotics build.
What does it cost?
Band $$$. The published BOM has current prices; the V2 redesign brought the cost down meaningfully versus the original.
Community builds
No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.
Discussion1
FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM
JPL's V2 redesign dropped 3D-printed parts entirely in favor of off-the-shelf GoBilda hardware to make builds repeatable. Better engineering, or did it lose some of the DIY soul?
NASA-JPL (lead: Achille Verheye)
JPL engineers open-sourced a buildable rocker-bogie rover for education, then redesigned it in 2023 around off-the-shelf parts to make it genuinely repeatable. OSHWA-certified.
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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.
CompareeTEAM1mo ago
Small quirk we hit while checking the docs: the README's image links point at the 'master' branch rather than 'main', so some visuals look broken if you browse the wrong branch. More substantively, V2 has no downloadable STL packs at all — the CAD lives in OnShape's cloud, and it's an OSHWA-certified design with a 100-plus-hour assembly. Anyone building this with a school group?