Design, Specification, and Implementation of the Martian Moons Exploration Rover's Separation Test

Abstract

As part of the Martian Moons Exploration mission, the MMX rover will land on the Martian moon Phobos. The rover has to be separated from the spacecraft to touch down on the surface shortly afterwards. To validate the reliability of this separation as well as to ensure that the requirements are fulfilled, the separation must be tested many times. To perform these tests cost- and time-effectively, the single-use separation mechanisms were exchanged for reusable ones for the tests. To actuate these mechanisms, an additional support structure had to be designed to meet the demands. This thesis presents the concept for this support structure and explains the exact adjustments that have to be made on the test subject as well as on the existing test equipment. The required components for the structure were selected and all necessary dimensioning was carried out. Additionally, the exact test environment and the measuring instruments that will be used are described. All scenarios to be tested were introduced and the possibility to test them was considered in the concept. Unfortunately, a complete implementation of the concept and the execution of the separation tests itself could not be realized and documented in this thesis due to massive delays in the test schedule. Nevertheless, all possible arrangements have been made to start the implementation of the support structure and begin the separation tests as soon as external circumstances will allow.