Aberystwyth technology put through its paces in Mars rover desert trials

Dr Helen Miles at the Rover Operations Control Centre in Turin

Technology developed at Aberystwyth University is being used in Europe's most Mars-like outdoor environment in preparation for the European Space Agency's ExoMars mission.

Researchers from the University's Departments of Physics and Computer Science are supporting a major exercise in Spain's Tabernas Desert, where a prototype of the Rosalind Franklin rover is undergoing a series of trials ahead of the mission’s planned launch in 2028.

Located in the province of Almería in south-eastern Spain, the Tabernas Desert is the only true desert in mainland Europe. Its arid climate, rugged landscape and rocky terrain make it an ideal location for testing space exploration technologies under Mars-like conditions.

The trial brings together scientists and engineers from across Europe to evaluate hardware, software and operational procedures under realistic conditions before the rover begins its mission.

Aberystwyth University is involved in two key pieces of hardware being developed for the mission: PanCam, a multispectral panoramic camera being led by Mullard Space Science Laboratory at University College London, and Enfys, an infrared spectrometer being led by Aberystwyth University.

During the mission itself, PanCam and Enfys will serve as the rover's scientific "eyes", helping scientists identify the most promising locations to search for evidence of past life. The instruments are designed to detect minerals, including clays and other water-formed materials, that on Earth are known to preserve organic compounds and may provide clues to ancient microbial activity.

During the field trials, emulators are used: systems designed to mimic the real hardware without being space-qualified. These emulator systems allow researchers to undertake extensive field testing without risking valuable flight hardware, which is costly and time-consuming to develop. Aberystwyth University is supplying two emulators for the exercise: the Aberystwyth University PanCam Emulator (AUPE) and an Enfys emulator.

Dr Helen Miles, a Senior Lecturer in Computer Science at Aberystwyth University, is supporting the development and validation of software used during the exercises, some of which will be used in the real mission for instrument control and data processing. She said:

“Exercises like these are a crucial step in preparing for planetary exploration missions. They allow us to evaluate technologies, software and operational procedures in a demanding environment that shares many characteristics with Mars.

“It's exciting to see systems developed at Aberystwyth University contributing to an international mission of this scale. The knowledge gained through these exercises will help ensure the rover and its supporting technologies are ready for the challenges of operating on another planet.”

Aberystwyth University postgraduate researcher Harry Marsh is part of the operations team. He said:

“It's incredibly rewarding to be involved in preparations for a mission that will search for signs of past life on Mars. From the Rover Operations Control Centre in Turin, we are sending commands and overseeing activities as they would be conducted during a real Mars mission, working closely with colleagues from across Europe to put the rover through its paces.

“Taking part in this campaign has given me first-hand experience of the complexity of planetary exploration and the teamwork needed to make these missions a success. It's exciting to be contributing to a project that builds on Aberystwyth University's long-standing involvement in Mars research and my PhD.”

Rover Operations Control Centre in Turin.  Photo: ALTEC

The Rosalind Franklin rover forms part of the European Space Agency's flagship ExoMars programme, which aims to search for evidence of past life on Mars and investigate the planet's geological history and environment.

Drawing on world-leading expertise in physics, computer science and robotics, Aberystwyth University researchers have played a key role in the ExoMars mission for 15 years, helping to develop technologies that will enable it to navigate the Martian surface and identify the most promising targets for scientific investigation.

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