Martian "Motor Home"
A thorough
human exploration of Mars would require some means for transporting
explorers long distances over the martian surface while providing sustenance
and protection from Mars' extremely inhospitable environment. This image
suggests how such a martian "motor home" might be realized. Providing
transportation and housing for a crew of two to four human explorers, this
pressurized rover would provide stability, visibility, storage, and a means
for generating power for locomotion and electrical systems.
In this example, a pair of wing-like solar arrays atop the rover
help to meet some of the energy needs, and the transparent windshield ports
have been coated to shield the interior from ultraviolet light and provide
additional visual contrast to the rust-colored landscape.
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