Glossary term: Veículo Explorador (Rover)
Description: Um rover é uma máquina criada pelo homem que é enviada à superfície de outro planeta ou lua a bordo de uma espaçonave para estudar esse planeta de perto e enviar os dados coletados de volta à Terra por meio de um método de comunicação. A maioria pode ser operada a partir da Terra e se deslocar pela superfície do planeta ou da lua, embora os Veículos Lunares da missão Apollo tenham sido conduzidos por astronautas na Lua. Um rover pode transportar diversos instrumentos científicos, como pequenas brocas, uma ferramenta para coleta de amostras, câmeras e até mesmo um pequeno laboratório para analisar amostras do ar e do solo e enviar os resultados de volta.
Related Terms:
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Term and definition status: The original definition of this term in English have been approved by a research astronomer and a teacher The translation of this term and its definition is still awaiting approval
The OAE Multilingual Glossary is a project of the IAU Office of Astronomy for Education (OAE) in collaboration with the IAU Office of Astronomy Outreach (OAO). The terms and definitions were chosen, written and reviewed by a collective effort from the OAE, the OAE Centers and Nodes, the OAE National Astronomy Education Coordinators (NAECs) and other volunteers. You can find a full list of credits here. All glossary terms and their definitions are released under a Creative Commons CC BY-4.0 license and should be credited to "IAU OAE".
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Related Media
Veículo espacial Curiosity
Caption: Este autorretrato do rover Curiosity da NASA mostra o veículo no local onde se posicionou para perfurar uma rocha chamada “Buckskin” na parte inferior do Monte Sharp. O autoretrato combina várias imagens capturadas pela Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) do Curiosity em 5 de agosto de 2015, durante o 1.065º dia marciano, ou sol, do atividades do rover em Marte.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
credit link
License: PD Public Domain icons
Record-Breaking Off-Earth Driving: Rovers on Mars & the Moon
Caption: Part of the Simplifying Astronomy for Arabic Speakers project, this infographic highlights the longest distances traveled by rovers on Mars and the Moon, showcasing space exploration’s progress.
Top Rovers & Their Achievements
Mars: NASA’s Opportunity holds the record, covering 45.16 km between 2004–2018.
Moon: The Soviet Lunokhod 2 leads with 39 km, followed by Apollo rovers:
Apollo 17: 35.74 km
Apollo 15: 27.8 km
Apollo 16: 27.1 km
Mars vs. Moon: Different Challenges
1. Martian Terrain – Mars has a thin atmosphere, dust storms, and rugged landscapes, requiring durable, long-term rovers.
2. Lunar Terrain – The Moon’s cratered surface lacks an atmosphere, allowing easier movement but with shorter mission durations.
3. Mission Longevity – Mars rovers operate for years, while Apollo lunar rovers were used briefly.
Future Rovers & Expectations
Curiosity may reach 42.195 km, making it one of Mars' most traveled rovers.
Yutu-2 (China) continues exploring the Moon since 2019.
Conclusion
These record-breaking distances showcase technological advancements in planetary exploration. With continued innovation, future rovers will go even further, paving the way for ambitious human missions beyond Earth!
Credit: Ali Al-Edhari ; adapted from the original by NASA/JPL-Caltech
License: CC-BY-4.0 Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) icons
Related Activities
Driving on Mars
astroEDU educational activity (links to astroEDU website) Description: An educational interdisciplinary game to drive a rover on Mars
License: CC-BY-4.0 Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) icons
Tags:
Game
, robot
, robotics
, simulation
, telecommunications
Age Ranges:
14-16
, 16-19
Education Level:
Middle School
, Secondary
Areas of Learning:
Guided-discovery learning
Costs:
Low Cost
Duration:
2 hours
Group Size:
Group
Skills:
Communicating information
, Developing and using models
, Using mathematics and computational thinking
