The first science simulations for the ExoMars rover replica kicked off after several weeks of driving tests around the Mars Terrain Simulator at the ALTEC premises in Turin, Italy.

With the locomotion system up and running, the Ground Test Model (GTM),a twin of ESA’s Rosalind Franklin rover, has been busy surveying the 64 square metres of soil, carefully staged with sandy areas and rocks of various sizes, as well as gravity and light simulations to recreate the environment on Mars.

In this footage, the Ground Test Model shows a crabbing move, where all the wheels work to translate the rover to the side. During a real mission, this motion might be used to place the rover towards an outcrop.

Once the rover is on the move, it is time for the cameras and instruments to scan a Mars-like terrain – both on and under the surface – in search for the best samples. These rover ‘eyes’ send panoramic and close-up images of the terrain to the operators at the Rover Operations Control Centre (ROCC). The team from Thales Alenias Space and Alte worked in synergy with ESA engineers.

The images are essential to map the geological context and to help the scientists decide where the rover should stop and survey the surface in more detail.

The data collected during these dry runs help scientists to decide which area is worth drilling in different locations. Rosalind Franklin is fitted with a drill – a first in Mars exploration – to extract samples down to a maximum of two metres.