Joint effort of DLR and JPL towards model-based prediction of rover locomotion performance for operation purposes

A key task in exploration rover operations is the selection of a safe vehicle path, mainly based on camera images and corresponding terrain surface classifications. The traverse of sandy terrain classes is usually considered as highly risky in terms of getting stuck. However, alternative routes via regions of rocky and bedrock terrain are very burdensome for the mechanical parts of the locomotion system, in particular for the wheel rims. Therefore, reliable simulation tools shall support operators to make wellfounded tradeoffs including all available path options. In order to make the tools applicable for operations and day by day mission planning, the used simulation tools must have reached an accepted level of validation. In the p aper an overview of the challenges and approaches of such a rover locomotion prediction tool are presented.