posted 04-17-2019 06:39 AM               

This model was handmade by the Moscow Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics in the late 1990s. In addition to their display model, they made a very limited number of models for VIP presentations. The rover has a resin main body with hand-machined metal instruments, accents and a detailed 6-wheel assembly. Just as on the actual rover, each wheel can be independently positioned at different heights, and the body can be tilted as desired. The wheel supports and wheels are highly-detailed anodized aluminum; the solar array is etched blue Plexiglas with front and rear metal cross-rods and a folding metal antenna. The Mars base is a nicely painted resin or ceramic.

The rover is approximately 4x4x5-inches on an 8x12-inch base. The entire bottom of the base is covered in blue denim cloth. The whole display weights a little over 4 pounds.

I am the original owner of this display and I have had it in my collection since the late ‘90s. In a moment of fancy, I added three small rust-red volcanic stones (obtained from landscaping outside JSC’s Building 4 South) and a David Bowie-memorial Martian spider to the display (a reference to his 1972 concept album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars). The 2-inch spider has a hand-painted carved wooden body with thread-wrapped metal legs in yellow and red Martian colors. These additions are loose and I will include them with the original museum display, so you can use them on the display or not.

The price for everything is $220.00 with $27.95 U.S. postage (free pick-up if you are in the Houston area). Foreign postage is $65.95 (unfortunately it just exceeds the new 4 lb. economy limit on foreign packages and needs additional packing for safe delivery). PayPal required.

Larger photos available and questions welcome. Thanks for looking and fly safe!