ExoMars rover twin completes driving tests on simulated terrain

ESA Exploration reported that a full-size model of the Rosalind Franklin rover completed a two-month test campaign on Earth to prepare for driving onto the surface of Mars. The uncrewed twin model, named Amalia, rehearsed driving off its landing platform and onto simulated Martian terrain more than 20 times. [1]

According to ESA Exploration, the test operation, known as egress, represents one of the most critical phases of the ExoMars rover mission. The tests recreated Martian conditions by using reduced gravity, uneven ground, obstacles beneath the exit ramps, and a 20-degree incline. [1]

The ExoMars programme is an astrobiology effort led by the European Space Agency that includes the Trace Gas Orbiter, the Schiaparelli lander, and the upcoming Rosalind Franklin rover. The mission aims to search for signs of past life, investigate variations in the Martian water and geochemical environment, and analyze atmospheric trace gases. [2][3]

The programme also seeks to evaluate atmospheric compositions and search for potential biosignatures in the atmosphere, surface, and subsurface of Mars. These measurements will help demonstrate key technologies required for a future Mars sample-return mission. [2][3]