Lunar wheel sensors tested at ESTEC

The RPS model during electromagnetic compatibility testing at the ESTEC test centre, ESA's technological site. RPS uses two electrodes on a rover wheel which are exposed to radio-frequency radiation from the rover's transmitters; electromagnetic testing ensures these emissions do not interfere with the functioning of the instrument.

The Rover Permittivity Sensor suite (RPS) is an ESA contribution to the United Arab Emirates’ Rashid-3 lunar rover. Using sensors that are integrated directly into one of the rover’s four wheels, the instrument will investigate the Moon’s surface and shallow subsurface in search of water ice, one of the most important resources for future exploration and in-situ resource utilisation.