The Mars Rover arrives as a kit of parts you assemble yourself. The product page lists ten groups of contents:
PCB panels
Controller PCB
Rover expansion modules
Speaker
Camera with add-ons
Servo and DC motors
Wheels
Solar panel
Joysticks, buttons and encoders
Spacers, screws and switches
No tools are included, and the Rover is a soldering build. It is our most complex kit and a great deal of it is soldered together, so have a soldering iron, lead-free solder, cutter pliers and a small screwdriver ready before you start. If you do not already own them, our Tools Pack is the set we put together for builds like this one. What tools do I need to build the Mars Rover? goes through it in detail, and the manuals show which tools each step calls for, so read them before you start.
The build guide is published online, with the components list and each assembly manual as a separate downloadable PDF: Mars Rover build guide. It is a step-by-step guide with more than 100 photos. There is no printed booklet in the box.
The Ultimate Mars Rover build guide is published separately. It adds a sixth manual and the Rover, Mission Control and Artemis Watch schematics.
Before you start, download the components list from the guide page and check it against what is in front of you. A part found missing on day one is far easier to sort out than one found part-way through the build.
Plan on around 20 hours of assembly. The kit is recommended for ages 11 and up. No prior experience with electronics or robotics is needed, because the guide covers every step, including the soldering. The Rover runs on six AA batteries, which are not in the box — see My kit didn't come with batteries. Is that a mistake?.
If a part is missing from the box, message us here, or email [email protected], with your order number and a photo of what came in the box. A part missing from the box is our packing error and the replacement is free.