Meet ERNEST, NASA’s Next-Generation Rover Designed to Be Faster and Tougher

Live updates

1. 4h ago

   NASA ERNEST Rover Prototype Tests High-Speed Mobility

   NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory is testing ERNEST, a four-wheeled prototype for Moon and Mars exploration. The vehicle is designed for long-distance autonomous travel and high speeds. It recently completed a 16-mile trek in the Colorado Desert.

   What's confirmed:

   • ERNEST is a four-wheeled prototype designed for the Moon and Mars.
   • The rover completed a 16-mile autonomous trek in the Colorado Desert.
   • NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory developed the vehicle.

   Still unconfirmed:

   • The rover is 4 feet long.
   • ERNEST demonstrates speeds ten times faster than current rovers.
   confidence 90%
2. 3d ago

   NASA Tests ERNEST Prototype Rover in California Desert

   NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory is testing ERNEST, a four-wheeled prototype designed for extreme sloped terrain. The rover recently completed a 16-mile autonomous trek across the Colorado Desert. It is built to be faster and tougher than previous planetary explorers.

   What's confirmed:

   • ERNEST stands for Exploration Rover for Navigating Extreme Sloped Terrain.
   • The rover is a four-wheeled prototype developed at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
   • During a March 2026 field test near Plaster City, California, the rover drove 16 miles autonomously.
   • ERNEST is designed to travel at 10 times the speed of its predecessors.
   • The rover serves as a test bed for autonomy software intended for potential lunar missions.

   Still unconfirmed:

   • The rover drove 16 miles in 37 hours.
   • The rover can lift its wheels to climb obstacles.
   • ERNEST is 10 times faster than Curiosity.
   • ERNEST is 10 times faster than Perseverance.
   confidence 90%