Two people admiring the Helelani rover. Raymond Alva for NPR
Raymond Alva for NPR
In a windy patch of desert outside Barstow, Calif., a 700-pound planetary rover named Helelani is churning its thick tires through a flour-like dust. Seven teams from around the world are taking turns steering this dune-buggy-like rover through the course. And as the rover weaves through a slalom course of cones, NASA technologist Rob Mueller explains that this silty dry lakebed is a pretty good analog for adventures on another planet.
“It’s an extreme environment. That’s why we’re here,” Mueller says. “It’s blowing dust. It gets