New Mars rover could swim through sand like a desert lizard
A new Mars rover has been developed that can swim through sand, inspired by the African sandfish lizard. This innovative design allows the rover to navigate the challenging sandy terrain of Mars more effectively than traditional wheeled rovers. Researchers believe this approach could significantly enhance future Mars exploration missions.
- ▪The rover's wheels mimic the sandfish's movement, generating both longitudinal and lateral forces.
- ▪Initial models of the rover were too heavy and sank into the sand, prompting design adjustments.
- ▪The new design has shown improved stability compared to traditional wheeled rovers in sandy conditions.
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| Original publisher | Popular Science |
| Canonical URL | https://www.popsci.com/technology/mars-rover-swim-through-sand/ |
| Publication time | Mon, 25 May 2026 11:15:00 -0400 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-25T15:17:38.459Z |
| Last seen | 2026-05-25T15:17:38.459Z |
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Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
The Mars rover with its innovative wheels, which can ‘swim’ through sand, modelled on a desert lizard. Marco Schmidt / Universität Würzburg Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡 Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. Email address Sign up Thank you! Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. To effectively travel on Mars, rovers need to deal with a lot of sand. German engineers have created a new kind of ground rover that uses swimming motions to push through sand that may otherwise cause the wheels to get stuck. Its inspiration: the African sandfish (Scincus scincus), a lizard known for burrowing into the Sahara Desert and literally swimming through its sand like a fish.
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