EXOMARS PHASE B2 BREADBOARD LOCOMOTION SUB-SYSTEM TEST CAMPAIGN

Kurzfassung

As part of the ExoMars mission the European Space Agency (ESA) plans to deploy a rover on the surface of Mars researching its exobiology and geology. The focus of this paper is the extensive testing performed in order to guarantee the rover mobility later on Mars. The test campaign, a joint collaboration between DLR and RUAG, assess and analyses the loads on the ExoMars Locomotion Sub-System (LSS) due to motion. The tests were carried out using functionally representative models of the envisaged ExoMars rover having the same kinematics. The paper presents the results of the test campaign carried out with the ExoMars LSS BB2 as well as the lessons learned.