Swiss university simulates Martian landscape for Mars rover tests

FHNW simulates the Martian landscape for Mars rover "Hufi" Keystone-SDA

A Swiss university has created a Martian landscape testing zone to test and train its own Mars rover, called Hufi.

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The Mars training area was inaugurated on the campus of the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland on Thursday.

According to the university, the training area simulates realistic Martian conditions. The red planet, as Mars is known, will be recreated at its Brugg-Windisch campus using red reed sandstone from the region and specially selected gravel, among other things.

According to the university, Hufi will carry out challenging navigation exercises on it. The Mars rover, which was developed by FHNW students, took first place in last year’s European Rover Challenge (ERC).

It is set to compete against other robots in the European competition again this year. It can navigate autonomously and take precise samples, it is said.

The new training ground was developed by landscape architecture students at the Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences. The facility was built by horticultural apprentices and cost CHF160,000.

Translated from German by DeepL/mga

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