Mars Moon eXploration rover

Project Overview

At the DLR department Robotics and Mechatronics in Munich, I wrote my thesis on thermal modeling and testing the Mars Moon eXploration rover. The MMX rover will launch in 2024 with a Japanese spacecraft to Phobos, one of the two moons of Mars. The rover will be exposed to an extremely tough thermal environment, therefore thermal analysis and testing is vital for mission success. The research focuses on the locomotion system, which is a complex and dynamic subsystem with the objective to ensure the rover stands up after landing and is able to drive around on Phobos. My objective was to perform thermal modeling and simulations on the locomotion subsystem of the rover, determine test requirements and boundary conditions, and demonstrate functionality and performance of the locomotion subsystem in the expected thermal-vacuum environment via long duration, automated testing. Some highlights and outputs of the thesis:

• Presentation at ESA thermal workshop
• Developed Python package to interface with temperature logger
• Developed Python package to interface with Rohde & Schwarz power supply suite
• Developed Python plotting package fully compatible with TU Delft Latex template

Figure: The rover locomotion system in the thermal vacuum facility at DLR


Figure: EGSE setup outside TVAC chamber