| NASA's plans to land a large nuclear-powered robotic tank on Mars, scheduled to launch in the fall of 2009. Mars Science Laboratory is a rover that will assess whether Mars ever was, or is still today, an environment able to support microbial life. The rover will be able to roll over obstacles up to 29 inches high and travel up to 295 feet per hour. On average, the rover is expected to travel about 30 meters (98 feet) per hour, based on power levels, slippage, steepness of the terrain, visibility, and other variables. Arriving at Mars in 2010. A very cool demo video.[ link ] |
