Mars+transport

**Rolling Over the Red Planet** In Autumn 2009, NASA will launch its largest Mars program yet. It will take the form of an SUV. Even though the vehicle will be able to carry five times as much equipment as the previous vehicles that are already on Mars, a group of Swedish researchers say that it would be far more effective if accompanied by a few other, smaller, round and lighter vehicles. The Ångström Aerospace Corporation, based in Sweden, thought of a small inflatable scouts to help bigger, less mobile rovers in their research. Each ball can snap photos at any angle and take soil samples. It is powered by its solar panels. They almost never break. Plus, they rarely get stuck.