{"id":475615,"date":"2023-06-30T19:53:00","date_gmt":"2023-06-30T23:53:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?post_type=migration&p=475615"},"modified":"2023-08-01T14:47:04","modified_gmt":"2023-08-01T18:47:04","slug":"nasas-moon-rover-prototype-conquers-steep-scary-lander-exit-test","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/centers-and-facilities\/ames\/nasas-moon-rover-prototype-conquers-steep-scary-lander-exit-test\/","title":{"rendered":"NASA\u2019s Moon Rover Prototype Conquers Steep, Scary Lander Exit Test"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/acd23-0066-049.jpg\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"985\" height=\"554\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/acd23-0066-049.jpg?w=985\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"A team member adjusts the cables that power and send commands to the VIPER test unit as engineers practice its exit\/descent from the model Griffin lunar lander.\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/acd23-0066-049.jpg 985w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/acd23-0066-049.jpg?resize=300,169 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/acd23-0066-049.jpg?resize=768,432 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/acd23-0066-049.jpg?resize=400,225 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/acd23-0066-049.jpg?resize=600,337 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/acd23-0066-049.jpg?resize=900,506 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 985px) 100vw, 985px\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">Antoine Tardy, VIPER rover egress driver, adjusts the cables that power and send commands to the VIPER test unit as engineers practice its exit\/descent from the model Griffin lunar lander at NASA\u2019s Ames Research Center in California\u2019s Silicon Valley. <\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\"><strong>Credits: NASA\/Dominic Hart<\/strong><\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>NASA\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/viper\" rel=\"noopener\">VIPER<\/a> \u2013 short for Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover \u2013 recently completed another successful round of rigorous tests of the agency\u2019s first robotic Moon rover\u2019s ability to drive off the Astrobotic Griffin lunar lander and onto the lunar surface. Called an egress, this hours-long operation is one of the most critical and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/image-feature\/ames\/VIPER-egress\" rel=\"noopener\">trickiest parts of VIPER\u2019s 100-day mission<\/a>. It could be even trickier if VIPER\u2019s off-ramps onto the Moon are super steep or tilted due to uneven terrain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Recent tests using VIPER rover and Griffin lander prototypes conducted at NASA\u2019s Ames Research Center in California\u2019s Silicon Valley were designed to push VIPER\u2019s systems to the limit to ensure the rover will perform as expected during its science mission. By driving VIPER\u2019s prototype MGRU3 \u2013 which stands for the Moon Gravitation Representative Unit 3 \u2013 down the lander\u2019s ramps in a series of test configurations in a facility at Ames, engineers came away with a better understanding of how the rover would perform in both normal and unusual scenarios.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike big rigs that deliver cars by rolling them off standardized ramps on trailers, the geometry of the lunar lander\u2019s ramps is designed to vary substantially, depending on what the surface is like when it arrives at its target destination atop the flat-topped lunar mountain <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/ames\/moon-mountain-name-honors-nasa-mathematician-melba-mouton\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Mons Mouton<\/a> near the Moon\u2019s South Pole. Depending on the terrain around the lander, the angle of the ramps may be especially steep, posing the risk the rover could lose traction and slip \u2013 or one ramp may be steeper than the other, requiring the VIPER real-time operations team to actively compensate for this tricky terrain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThrough this series, we\u2019ve tested all of the \u2018bounding\u2019 cases for VIPER\u2019s egress on the Moon,\u201d said Jasper Wolfe, VIPER egress test lead at Ames. \u201cThis included the worst-case high-pitch scenario using the steepest \u2013 and scariest \u2013 ramps, the worst-case roll scenario using the most uneven ramps, and the worst-case scenario with pitch and roll combined.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Seen in the photo above is a key moment of the tests, which focused on the physical interface between the rover and the lander. Critical features of the tests included software that specifically handles VIPER\u2019s egress and changes to physical components of both the rover and the lander\u2019s ramps. The team carefully checked to verify MGRU3 had adequate clearance and engaged the ramps correctly as it rolled from top to bottom. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe validated these test cases with MGRU3 to be sure VIPER can do it on the Moon,\u201d said Wolfe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Completing these tests means that VIPER should be able to successfully exit the lander even if it touches down in a tough spot \u2013 a major step forward toward flight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWith VIPER, we\u2019re doing a lot of firsts,\u201d said Wolfe. \u201cAnd it\u2019s very exciting to reach this milestone.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>NASA\u2019s VIPER \u2013 short for Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover \u2013 recently completed another successful round of rigorous tests of the agency\u2019s first robotic Moon rover\u2019s ability to drive off the Astrobotic Griffin lunar lander and onto the lunar surface. Called an egress, this hours-long operation is one of the most critical and trickiest parts of VIPER\u2019s 100-day [...]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":188,"featured_media":476047,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nasa_hds_core_meta_l10n":"en-US","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_editor":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_contacts":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_topic":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_linked_locations":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_related_articles":[],"hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_id":"","hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_type":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_x":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_y":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_gallery_images":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[2854,10751],"news-tags":[],"internal-terms":[],"coauthors":[10450],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"NASA\u2019s Moon Rover Prototype Conquers Steep, Scary Lander Exit Test","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/centers-and-facilities\/ames\/nasas-moon-rover-prototype-conquers-steep-scary-lander-exit-test\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/centers-and-facilities\/ames\/nasas-moon-rover-prototype-conquers-steep-scary-lander-exit-test\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/acd23-0066-049.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/acd23-0066-049.jpg"},"articleSection":"NASA Centers & Facilities","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Gianine Figliozzi"}],"creator":["Gianine Figliozzi"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NASA","logo":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/themes\/nasa\/assets\/images\/nasa-logo.svg"},"keywords":["Missions","VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover)","Ames Research Center"],"dateCreated":"2023-06-30T23:53:00Z","datePublished":"2023-06-30T23:53:00Z","dateModified":"2023-08-01T18:47:04Z"},"rendered":"<meta name=\"parsely-title\" content=\"NASA\u2019s Moon Rover Prototype Conquers Steep, Scary Lander Exit Test\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-link\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/centers-and-facilities\/ames\/nasas-moon-rover-prototype-conquers-steep-scary-lander-exit-test\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-type\" content=\"post\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-image-url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/acd23-0066-049.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-pub-date\" content=\"2023-06-30T23:53:00Z\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-section\" content=\"NASA Centers & Facilities\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-tags\" content=\"Missions,VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover),Ames Research Center\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-author\" content=\"Gianine Figliozzi\" \/>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/nasa.gov\/p.js"},"read_time":3,"time_ago":"12 months","featured_image":{"id":476047,"file":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/acd23-0066-049.jpg","title":"Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) Moon Gravitation Representative Unit 3 (MGRU3) Astrobotic Griffin Lunar Lander Structural Test Model (STM) Egress Testing","alt":"A team member adjusts the cables that power and send commands to the VIPER test unit as engineers practice its exit\/descent from the model Griffin lunar lander.","caption":"Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) Moon Gravitation Representative Unit 3 (MGRU3) Astrobotic Griffin Lunar Lander Structural Test Model (STM) egress testing in N246."},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/475615"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/188"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=475615"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/475615\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":565511,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/475615\/revisions\/565511"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/476047"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=475615"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=475615"},{"taxonomy":"news-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-tags?post=475615"},{"taxonomy":"internal-terms","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal-terms?post=475615"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=475615"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}