A miniaturised fetch rover concept for Mars sample return

Abstract

In the context of the NASA/ESA Mars Sample Return (MSR) Campaign a Sample Fetch Rover (SFR) has been studied to acquire sample tubes cached on the surface by NASA's Perseverance rover and return them to the Sample Retrieval Lander (SRL) for launch into Mars orbit. The current SFR design, similar in size to ESA's ExoMars Rover, faced significant challenges in terms of accommodation on the lander. An alternative mini Sample Fetch Rover (mSFR) concept is explored in response to these challenges, aiming at a mass target around 20 kg. The miniaturised rover is assessed against some reduced mission requirements to evaluate its usefulness for MSR. The main areas of the mSFR design are discussed herein, with particular attention to traverse and tube fetching strategy. The study suggests that the concept is feasible and could be accommodated on SRL with minimum impact to the lander's design. Furthermore, preliminary analysis shows how the small vehicle could perform a useful role in MSR, making it particularly attractive as a simple backup to other tube delivery methods. Lastly, future investigations and areas of improvement are suggested.