Twin of NASA’s Perseverance Mars Rover Now on the Move

While NASA's Mars rover Perseverance travels through space toward the Red Planet, its nearly identical rover twin is hard at work on Earth. The vehicle system test bed (VSTB) rover named OPTIMISM is a full-scale engineering version of the Mars-bound rover. It is used to test hardware and software before the commands are sent up to the Perseverance rover.

Just like Perseverance, OPTIMISM is outfitted with wheels, cameras, and computers to help it drive autonomously. After taking its first drive indoors, the VSTB rover took a spin in the Mars Yard, a dirt field which simulates the Red Planet's surface.

OPTIMISM is stationed in a garage at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, sharing a space with Curiosity's twin rover MAGGIE.

The Perseverance rover is set to land on the surface of Mars on February 18, 2021.

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

[ocelotrevs]

These kind of videos are great because it also gives a sense of scale of the machines. I didn't realise just how big this one is.

[mydadleftformilk]

Meanwhile in mars: perseverance and curiosity doing drag race

[pawankaler]

They are caring for the rover as their child.

[Thesupermachine]

You know it’s real science when all the scientists are wearing labcoats

[funkblack]

1:01 Crazy how they made a cable long enough to reach Mars to power the rover.

[RAWspy]

The most expensive toy in universe
Mama i want that

[catchild]

I CANT be the only one that is here after percerverance is safe n sound on Mars

[david-joeklotz]

We love JPL!! We love PERSEVERANCE! It's going to be awesome! And not to forget OPTIMISM :-]

[karlkastor]

This makes it sound like they're just testing the rover now that Perseverance is already on route to Mars.

[penguinxd]

Touchdown Confirmed, WE ARE SAFE ON MARS. :)

[pavelkorchinov]

I can't believe that rover is on Mars now

[IntrepidFraidyCat]

We can't wait for Perseverance to land in 2021! We watched Curiosity and loved it.
I look forward to seeing you post some footage from the Mars Yard! We want to see what it can do while we wait for February to get here.😉👍🏻

[DaHaiZhu]

It looks so small and toy-like...until you put a person next to it! Dang! It's a small car!

[MentalEdge]

Fun fact. The Curiosity rovers VSTB is right next door in that same Mars Yard garage building. You can see it in SmarterEveryDays video about the sample drill on Curiosity.

[watever]

a message from the future .
IT ACTUALLY SUCCESSFULLY LANDED ON MARS. GO PERSEVERANCE ❤❤

[Sometimes_Always]

This is even more exciting now that its sibling is on Mars!! What a fantastic time to be a part of the human race!

[__hmx]

The only time i truly get why youtube recommend me some video.
#Perseverance2021.

[jerryk]

kudos to the guy carrying huge cable following the rover haha

[jahratonni]

I am student .I have a dream . I want to be a spacetraveller. love from my country.

[vanessapayago]

I was just recently fascinated with the news and videos all about space discoveries and exploration. It truly makes me inspire to persevere for the better future of humanity.