Page 25 - BBC Focus - August 2017

P R E P ARE Y O U R SE L F F O R T O M O RR O W

AUGUST 2017 EDITED BY RUSSELL DEEKS

It’s the hero Mars
deserves, but not the
one it needs right now

MEAN MACHINE

To kick off the ‘Summer of Mars’ events programme at equipped with radio and GPS. Sadly it is only a
the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA recently concept: according to the latest information on
unveiled an 8.5m-long concept Martian rover that NASA’s website, the actual rover used in the Mars
PHOTO: NASA wouldn’t look out of place in the Batcave. 2020 mission is likely to be similar in size and
appearance to Curiosity, the 3m-long rover that’s been
The vehicle consists of a detachable rear section
busy exploring the Red Planet’s surface since 2012.
housing a science laboratory, and a front section that’s

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