NASA’s Rovers Keep Getting Stuck and We Just Found Out Why

This Could Prevent Rovers From Getting Stuck In Sand Or Dust

Engineers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison uncovered a critical flaw in how lunar and Martian rovers are tested on Earth. Simulations revealed that test results have been misleading for decades because researchers only adjusted rover weight to simulate low gravity—but ignored how Earth’s gravity affects the terrain itself. Using a powerful simulation tool called Chrono, the team showed that sandy surfaces behave very differently on the Moo…

NASA’s Rovers Keep Getting Stuck and We Just Found Out Why

Engineers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison have pinpointed a surprising flaw in how NASA tests its rovers on Earth. For decades, researchers adjusted rover weight to mimic lower gravity on the Moon or Mars, but they overlooked how Earth’s gravity affects the sand itself. In reality, lunar soil is much looser and less supportive than [...]

NASA’s Rovers Keep Getting Stuck and We Just Found Out Why – DG Verifications & Stats

Mechanical engineering professor Dan Negrut poses with a space rover used for testing. Credit: Joel Hallberg / UW–Madison Engineers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison have pinpointed a surprising flaw in how NASA tests its rovers on Earth. For decades, researchers adjusted rover weight to mimic lower gravity on the Moon or Mars, but they overlooked how Earth’s gravity affects the sand itself. In reality, lunar soil is much looser and less su…