Engineers from ESA and Airbus came together in June 2023 for a test campaign that simulated the fetching operations of the now descoped Sample Fetch Rover.

The joint team used an upgraded version of the Sample Fetch Rover’s acquisition system to mimic the fetching of the sample tubes, from detection to storage, in an autonomous way. All the elements that would have been involved in that particular phase of the Mars Sample Return campaign were part of the test.

Three high-definition cameras mounted on top of a mast and on the wrist of the breadboard worked in tandem to detect a sample tube. Once the system determined its location and orientation, a robotic arm with a gripper grasped the tube. Visual confirmation of acquisition was next, and finally the tube went into a dedicated tray for safe storage.

The test campaign lasted a week and took place at the Airbus site in Stevenage, UK.

More about Mars Sample Return:

• Mars sample return
• To Mars and back