WIRED Staff
Science

Slideshow: A Rover Built for the Red Planet

The prototype for a vehicle designed to explore the surface of Mars has passed its first major test, a trip across the frozen Arctic sea to a research station on Devon Island. By Leander Kahney.
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Inuk field guide and Canadian Rangers Master Corporal Joe Amarualik scouts out a safe passage through the rough ice ahead from the vantage point of the MARS-1's hood.NASA Haughton-Mars Project 2003/P. Lee

See related story: A Rover Built for the Red Planet

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Equipped with rubber Mattracks tracks, the AM General Humvee's unique mobility qualities allowed it to successfully handle the Arctic sea's thick snow and rough ice.

NASA Haughton-Mars Project 2003/J. Amarualik
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The MARS-1 Humvee rover during its sea ice crossing to Devon Island. The 4-ton vehicle is seen here setting off under snowmobile escort on the first leg of its arctic trek, a 6-hour overland route from Resolute Bay to Read Bay, Cornwallis Island.

NASA Haughton-Mars Project 2003/P. Lee
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Map showing the location of the Haughton Crater on Devon Island, focus of the planetary science investigations of NASA's Haughton-Mars Project. On May 10 and 11, 2003, the Mars Institute's MARS-1 Humvee rover was driven from Resolute Bay on Cornwallis Island to Cape McBain on the west coast of Devon Island.

NASA Haughton-Mars Project 2000. Modified from an original map by the National Geographic Society, copyright 1999.
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After the successful sea crossing, the rover was driven to the snow-free top of Cape McBain, Devon Island, where it will be stored until scientists return to the island in July 2003. The photograph was taken as the expedition team left by snowmobile on its return journey to Resolute Bay on Cornwallis Island.

NASA Haughton-Mars Project 2003/J. Amarualik
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Seen parked on top of Cape McBain, the Mars-1 rover will support NASA's science and exploration research programs on desolate, Mars-like Devon Island.

NASA Haughton-Mars Project 2003/J. Amarualik
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This image was taken April 29, 2003, by Landsat 7 and shows the approximate route taken by the expedition to reach Devon Island. Note the dark patches -- open sea.

NASA Haughton-Mars Project
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Dubbed "Mars on Earth," Devon Island closely resembles the Red Planet. It is cold, rocky, windy, dusty and dry. In the summer, the island is bathed in harmful ultraviolet light -- just like Mars.

NASA Haughton-Mars Project 2002/M. Boucher
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The MARS-1 Humvee rover during its frozen sea ice crossing. The only way to get the rover to NASA's research station on Devon Island was to drive it across the frozen ice between Cornwallis Island and Devon Island in the Arctic. The 23-mile crossing ended at the magnificent cliffs on Devon Island's west coast. When it was tantalizingly close, the rover encountered a formidable ice barrier with pressure hummocks higher than the vehicle itself. A safe passage eventually was found around them.

NASA Haughton-Mars Project 2003/P. Lee