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

NASA's SEV Rover

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

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

Bubble-Fronted SEV

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

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

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

SEV Sled Worker

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

Preliminary SEV

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

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

The hatch to NASA's SEV crew cabin compartment.

SEV Interior

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

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