NASA tests ERNEST rover for moon, Mars terrain (opens in new tab)

NASA is testing ERNEST, a four-wheeled rover prototype designed to improve robotic autonomy and travel across difficult surfaces on future moon and Mars missions. The rover, formally named the Exploration Rover for Navigating Extreme Sloped Terrain, recently drove across a section of the Colorado Desert in Southern California with minimal engineer intervention. The work addresses limitations NASA has identified in existing Mars rovers: slow movement, wheel damage on rough terrain, and steep s...