NASA Tests New Prototype Rover ‘ERNEST’ for Lunar and Mars Exploration

NASA said on June 18, 2026, that it tested ERNEST, a rover capable of autonomously traveling over extreme slopes, in a California desert. ERNEST is 1.2 meters long and can lift each wheel individually to clear obstacles. It traveled at 1 kilometer per hour.

NASA’s ERNEST test is intended to determine whether the rover can travel long distances on the moon while autonomously crossing slopes and ledges. Its mechanism for lifting individual wheels and design for switching drive modes to suit the terrain are being used to evaluate mobility on terrain that is difficult for current rovers to navigate.