Metal Earth: Mars Rover

Built for a ninety day mission. Some of them are still going years later, which is either excellent engineering or excellent luck.

The rovers are the most quietly impressive machines humans have made: nuclear or solar powered, driving themselves across terrain nobody has surveyed, with a twenty-minute round trip on every instruction from home. The rocker-bogie suspension keeps all six wheels on the ground over obstacles the size of the rover itself, which is why the whole thing looks like a folding table having a difficult time.

That suspension is also what makes it a good model. Laser-cut stainless steel, tab-and-slot assembly, no glue, no paint. The six wheels and the articulated arms are the fiddly part and the reason to have tweezers within reach. The mast and camera head go on last. Finishes in bare steel on a stand.

Perfect for: Anyone who was mildly upset when Opportunity sent its last message.

Laser-cut steel | No glue required | Age 14+