In 2020, NASA will send a rover to Mars to search for evidence of ancient Martian life while testing technologies for future human expeditions. While the engineering designs for the rover and its various instruments are finalized in CAD, its revolutionary robotic arm and zoom-enabled cameras – the first of their kind to be sent to another planet – were first conceptualized in drawings by the team at Motiv Space Systems using Blackwing pencils.

The Blackwing 4 is a tribute to Mars and the 2020 rover mission. It features a rust-colored lacquer and sand-textured finish inspired by the surface of the fourth planet. It also features our first ever dune bronze ferrule, a cream imprint and eraser, and our soft graphite.

Read more about the design here.