NASA's SEV: Spacecraft For Asteroid Missions Revealed (Photos)

NASA's SEV Rover

Clara Moskowitz/SPACE.com

A mockup of NASA's next generation moon rover, the Space Exploration Vehicle (SEV), on display at the agency's Johnson Space Center in Houston. The SEV has since been converted into a wheel-less vehicle designed for visiting asteroids.

SEV Windows

Clara Moskowitz/SPACE.com

The front of the SEV is dome-shaped to give astronauts a wide-angle view of their surroundings.

Bubble-Fronted SEV

Clara Moskowitz/SPACE.com

The bubble-fronted SEV rover version was optimized for wheeling around on the moon. The crew cabin part has lately been converted into a vehicle that can be attached to a sled for visiting asteroids.

SEV Sled

Clara Moskowitz/SPACE.com

The bottom component of NASA's Space Exploration Vehicle (SEV) can visit an asteroid by itself, robotically, or be attached to a crew cabin for manned missions.

SEV Thruster

Clara Moskowitz/SPACE.com

A simple mockup of a jet thruster on the SEV sled helps engineers design a baseline look for the vehicle.

SEV Sled Worker

Clara Moskowitz/SPACE.com

A NASA engineer works on a mockup of the sled component of the SEV spacecraft, attaching wiring onto this preliminary prototype.

Preliminary SEV

Clara Moskowitz/SPACE.com

This version of the SEV sled is in the very preliminary stages of development. Soon, engineers will experiment with it on an air hockey table-like floor that allows it to move without friction in two dimensions.

SEV Wheel-less Cabin

Clara Moskowitz/SPACE.com

A mockup of the SEV crew cabin that will house astronauts on future trips to asteroids. This cabin can be attached to a robotic sled underneath it for propulsion.

SEV Door

Clara Moskowitz/SPACE.com

The hatch to NASA's SEV crew cabin compartment.

SEV Interior

Clara Moskowitz/SPACE.com

Inside the latest mockup of NASA's SEV crew cabin, a bank of monitors stands in front of the large dome-shape windows.

Back of SEV Crew Cabin

Clara Moskowitz/SPACE.com

A view from the back side of the crew cabin compartment of NASA's SEV spacecraft under development.

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