Tumbleweed Mars
Austria · Space tech
Tumbleweed Mars is an Austrian research team developing wind-driven rovers to carry scientific instruments across large areas of Mars.
Product
Tumbleweed Mars wants to help researchers survey large areas of the Martian surface using swarms of wind-driven rovers. The Austrian volunteer research team develops spherical vehicles that carry instruments for universities, research institutions and other mission partners.
The rover design combines sails for propulsion, solar cells and a battery for its electronics, and modular payload bays for sensors and cameras. A collapsible structure supports transport, while omnidirectional antennas enable communication. The team completed a smaller prototype in 2020 and tested it in a Mars analogue mission in Israel in 2021.
Funding history
1 round · 1 with disclosed amounts| Announced | Round | Amount | Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| ESA BIC Austria support | €50K | European Space Agency (ESA) — Participant |