DIY Mars Rover Model

In this project, I’ll show you how to build a Mars Rover out of cardboard and other household items. Throughout the steps, I will share the same measurements I used for my own build. These sizes worked well for me, so I do recommend that you follow them if you’d like to make your Rover the same way as I did, but feel free to adjust the measurements if you want to make a bigger or smaller rover. You might find some of the parts in the steps a bit tricky to understand, but my photos are clear and will be able to help you.

1. Cardboard
2. Glue Gun
3. Scissors
4. Ruler
5. Pencil
6. ×2 Toilet Paper Tubes
7. Skewer Sticks
8. Paint
9. Paint brush

For the wheels, cut out 3 cm wide cylinders from the toilet paper tubes. To cut the tubes, I used pliers and scissors.

To make the grip/treads on the wheels I am using corrugated cardboard. To make corrugated cardboard, spray a bit of water on the top layer of the cardboard, let the water soak in for 30 seconds, then take off the layer that you sprayed and voila, it's corrugated cardboard (see my video at the bottom of this step).

Cut the corrugated cardboard 3 cm wide (the width of your wheels) and 13 cm long (which is long enough to wrap once around my wheels). Now glue it around the wheel. Repeat this for all 6 wheels.

To make the spokes of the wheels cut out 12 cardboard strips, about 4 cm long and 0.5 cm wide (12 = two per wheel). Glue two strips diagonally in an X shape inside each wheel. Then, cut a small cardboard square and glue it on the part where the cardboard strips overlap (the center of the X).

To connect the wheels to each other for suspension I am using skewer sticks. I'm also following the design for figure 1 in the picture above that shows the suspension for a Mars rover. For the Mars Rover that I am making, my wheels and suspension don't physically move.

I am following the design in the image so I will be making the wheels from left to right (blue to red). First, cut out two 3 cm long pieces from a skewer stick and glue them in an L shape. Now, glue the bottom tip of the L to the part inside the cylinder where the spokes cross.

After that, cut a 5, 4, 3, and 1 cm long skewer stick piece. Glue your 5 cm piece to the top of the L, facing sideways. Now, glue the 4 cm piece to the end of the 5 cm piece. Glue your 4 cm piece to be sloping a bit downwards. Then, glue the 1 cm piece at the end of the 4 cm piece, facing straight down. Finally, glue the 3 cm to the part inside the cylinder where the spokes cross. Then, glue other end of the 3 cm piece to the bottom of the 1 cm piece.

To make the final wheel on this side, cut a 6, 4, and two 3 cm skewer stick pieces. Glue the 6 cm piece to the place on your Rover where the circle part in the image is. Glue your 4 cm piece to the end of the 6 cm piece. Again, glue it to slope a bit downwards. Then, glue the 3 cm piece facing straight down, at the end of the 4 cm piece.

To make the body of the Mars Rover cut out 12 cm wide and 18 cm long cardboard rectangle. The wheel spacing will be even, one wheel at 0 cm, one at 9 cm, and one at 18 cm. I did the same for the other three wheels on the other side.

Glue the body of the Rover to 3 points of the suspension like in my image. Do this for both sets of the suspension.

Now, make a rectangular prism that is 12 cm long, 3 cm wide, and 2 cm high. Glue each side of your rectangular prism against each place where the suspension is above the body of the Mars Rover. After doing that, you can add all the details you like to the body of the Mars rover.

In this step you will be painting and finishing up The Mars Rover. You can be free to paint your Mars rover any colour you like. The colors that I paint in mine were black, white, and yellow. Also you can add any more details and parts to your Mars Rover. I hope you enjoyed and had fun making The Mars Rover and thank you for your support 🙏.