Auto-assembled, not yet reviewed

JPL Open Source Rover

Build-it-yourself 6-wheel rocker-bogie rover modeled on JPL's Mars rovers.

  • Apache-2.0
  • rover10 DoF
  • $1,318.40source total
Reproducibility89/100Strong source coverage, unverifiedCADBOMWIREFWBUILDLICREPHow it is computed
JPL Open Source Rover source parts laid out side by side, 3D render from mast_backplate.stl (not the assembled robot)
Parts preview: not the assembled robot · mast_backplate.stl

About JPL Open Source Rover

The JPL Open Source Rover (OSR) is an open-source, build-it-yourself scaled-down version of the 6-wheel rover design JPL uses to explore Mars. It is built from consumer off-the-shelf parts, largely GoBilda hardware, with a rocker-bogie suspension, differential pivot, 6-wheel Ackermann steering, 10 motors and a Raspberry Pi control stack. The repository ships mechanical, electrical and software documentation plus a priced parts list, and the full rover CAD is a public Onshape assembly. The 3D view shows only the camera mast, not the whole rover.

Licenses

Hardware
Apache-2.0
Software
Not published
Docs
Not published

Degrees of freedom

10 DoF driveWheels 6cornerSteering 4

Breakdown source

Rocker-bogieRoversource

How to build JPL Open Source Rover

5 steps

Steps marked Motari summary condense the linked source; follow the source for exact instructions. Upstream step marks a step taken from the linked guide.

  1. Source the parts

    Order the listed mechanical parts from parts_list.csv, then separately reconcile the Raspberry Pi, battery, PCB fabrication and board components.

    Upstream stepgithub.com/nasa-jpl/open-source-rover/blob/3021f8c2944e41b35...

  2. Use the Onshape reference

    Open the linked OSR v2 full-rover assembly while following the mechanical README; upstream notes the model omits some screws.

    Motari summarygithub.com/nasa-jpl/open-source-rover

  3. Wire the electronics

    Fabricate/populate the boards from electrical/ and wire the motors, power and Raspberry Pi per the wiring and schematic docs.

    Motari summarygithub.com/nasa-jpl/open-source-rover

  4. Assemble the mechanics

    Build the rocker-bogie chassis, differential pivot and six wheel/corner modules following the mechanical assembly documentation.

    Motari summarygithub.com/nasa-jpl/open-source-rover

  5. Install and calibrate software

    Install the OSR software stack on the Raspberry Pi, calibrate the corner steering and validate drive behavior.

    Motari summarygithub.com/nasa-jpl/open-source-rover
Print timenot published
Assembly time100 h

Wiring, power and firmware are safety-relevant and shown for reference only. Check them against the source before building.

JPL Open Source Rover bill of materials

5 rows

Cost to build

$1,318.40USDsource total
  • parsed GoBilda mechanical parts_list.csv subtotal; electronics, battery and PCBs not included$1,318.40source total

In the source currency, as read on 2026-09-30. Not converted, and not checked against current vendor prices: none of these is a Motari-verified checkout total.

JPL Open Source Rover parts, as the source lists them. Prices are the source's, not checked against vendors.

JPL Open Source Rover bill of materials
PartQtySpecSourceConfidence
GoBilda Yellow Jacket drive motordrive wheel assemblies: 6 motors
65203 Series Yellow Jacket planetary gear motor, 26.9:1, 223 RPM
GoBilda$42.99 each, $257.94 totalparts_list/parts_list.csv line 4: drive wheel motor row, quantity 1 x assembly multiplier 6
high
GoBilda Wasteland wheelsix rover wheels
6144mm diameter, 52mm width
GoBilda$24.99 each, $149.94 totalparts_list/parts_list.csv line 2: drive wheel wheel row, quantity 1 x assembly multiplier 6
high
GoBilda dual mode steering servocorner steering modules
42000 Series Dual Mode Servo, 25-2 torque
GoBilda$31.99 each, $127.96 totalparts_list/parts_list.csv line 11: rocker bogie servo row, quantity 2 x assembly multiplier 2
high
GoBilda ServoBlock steering supportcorner steering support blocks
4Standard size ServoBlock, 25 tooth spline, hub shaft
GoBilda$29.99 each, $119.96 totalparts_list/parts_list.csv line 10: rocker bogie servoblock row, quantity 2 x assembly multiplier 2
high
Raspberry Pi and power/electronics remaindercontroller computer, battery, PCB fabrication and board components are required but not fully priced in the visible GoBilda CSV subtotal
1Raspberry Pi control stack plus custom electrical hardware
mixedprice not listedREADME identifies Raspberry Pi control; electrical/ contains PCB, Gerbers, schematics and separate board BOM evidence, but Motari has not added up these into a full kit total
med

Rows from the source's own parts list 161

electrical/pcb/arduino_uno_shield/BOM.csv@3021f8ccsv

Source rowQtyPrice and vendorLine
Connector Header 16P 2x8
1
On Shore Technology Inc.no price listed
L2
Connector Header pin 40P 40x1
1
Sullinsno price listed
L3
Connector Header 6P 6x1
1
JSTno price listed
L4
Term block 2P side entry
1
Phoenix Contactno price listed
L5

electrical/pcb/control_board/BOM/v2.0.3/bom_v2.0.3_board_ref_parts.csv@3021f8ccsv

Source rowQtyPrice and vendorLine
A1
14
digikey.comno price listed
L2
A2
4
digikey.comno price listed
L3
A3
5
digikey.comno price listed
L4
A4
1
digikey.comno price listed
L5
motor power return diode
1
digikey.comno price listed
L6
led diode
2
digikey.comassets.nexperia.comno price listed
L7
fuse holder
1
digikey.comno price listed
L8
male power header
2
amazon.comno price listed
L9

40 more rows in electrical/pcb/control_board/BOM/v2.0.3/bom_v2.0.3_board_ref_parts.csv

electrical/pcb/control_board/BOM/v2.0.3/bom_v2.0.3_other_parts.csv@3021f8ccsv

Source rowQtyPrice and vendorLine
Fuse
1
digikey.comno price listed
L2
roboclaw terminal block connector
3
digikey.comno price listed
L3
- https://www.arrow.com/en/products/5434586/phoenix-contact?q=5434586
arrow.comno price listed
L4
- https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/phoenix-contact/5434586/4389762?s=N4IgTCBcDa4OxwLQEZlgMwBZEDkAiIAugL5A
digikey.comno price listed
L5
power connectors
4
amazon.comno price listed
L6
drive motor connectors
6
amazon.comno price listed
L7
rpi ribbon cable
1
adafruit.comno price listed
L8
solder seal wire connectors kit
1
amazon.comno price listed
L9

8 more rows in electrical/pcb/control_board/BOM/v2.0.3/bom_v2.0.3_other_parts.csv

electrical/pcb/control_board/BOM/v2.0.3/digikey_bom_4-20-2023.csv@3021f8ccsv

Source rowQtyPrice and vendorLine
CAP CER 10000PF 50V X7R RADIAL
20
C317C103K5R5TA73010.16400
L2
CAP ALUM 100UF 20% 50V RADIAL
10
ESK107M050AG3EA0.24800
L3
CAP CER 0.1UF 50V X7R RADIAL
10
C322C104K5R5TA73170.21100
L4
CAP ALUM 10UF 20% 50V RADIAL
10
ESK106M050AC3DA0.16200
L5
DIODE SCHOTTKY 25V 10A TO220AC
2
STPS10L25D1.93000
L6
DIODE GEN PURP 75V 300MA DO35
10
1N41480.10800
L7
FUSEHOLDER BLOCKS - PCB - CLIP C
1
6961080030020.68000
L8
CONN HEADER VERT 12POS 2.54MM
4
TSW-104-07-F-T1.50000
L9

26 more rows in electrical/pcb/control_board/BOM/v2.0.3/digikey_bom_4-20-2023.csv

1 more source files with parts rows are listed under Files.

JPL Open Source Rover source files

14 files

Files stay in the upstream repository under their own licenses; these links open them there. The 3D model on this page is Motari's conversion of the file named under Simulation.

JPL Open Source Rover in simulation

Robot description files a simulator or CAD tool can load, linked at the commit they were found.

The 3D specimen on this page is converted from expansion/mast/3d_models/mast_backplate.stl at 3021f8c, with the parts laid out side by side because the source has no assembly.

Builds of JPL Open Source Rover

0 reviewed

No reviewed builds of JPL Open Source Rover yet.

A build log records the evidence (photos, a video, your repository), what the build cost, how long it took and what you changed. Each one is checked by Motari (until a maintainer claims this page) before it shows here, and reviewed builds count toward the reproducibility score.

Sources and provenance

Sources

Last push to nasa-jpl/open-source-rover: 2026-09-03 (checked 2026-10-01)

Related links

How this page was made

Assembled from public sources on 2026-06-04, not yet reviewed by the maintainer. Each figure links to where it is stated; a value the sources do not state reads "not published". Last source review: parsed parts_list subtotal; electronics/battery not fully costed.

Original files stay intact and separately licensed; Motari adds only the summary on this page. Maintainer? Request a correction or removal.

Badge for the README

Maintain JPL Open Source Rover? Show its reproducibility score in the project's README. The badge links back to this page and updates with the score.

Badge: reproducibility 89/100

Markdown
[![Motari reproducibility score for JPL Open Source Rover](https://motari.io/api/v1/badge/jpl-open-source-rover)](https://motari.io/r/jpl-open-source-rover)
HTML
<a href="https://motari.io/r/jpl-open-source-rover"><img src="https://motari.io/api/v1/badge/jpl-open-source-rover" alt="Motari reproducibility score for JPL Open Source Rover" height="20"></a>

A score of 90 or more needs a reviewed build. How the score is computed