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 Moon, where they’re fluffier and less supportive.
  • Zachariah@lemmy.world
    23·
    6 days ago

    On the moon, the gravitational pull is six times weaker than on Earth. For decades, researchers testing rovers have accounted for that difference in gravity by creating a prototype that is a sixth of the mass of the actual rover. They test these lightweight rovers in deserts, observing how it moves across sand to gain insights into how it would perform on the moon.

    It turns out, however, that this standard testing approach overlooked a seemingly inconsequential detail: the pull of Earth’s gravity on the desert sand.

    • SheeEttin@lemmy.zipEnglish
      21·
      6 days ago

      It just goes to show you, you can have whole teams of NASA scientists on a project, but there’s still going to be some factor they didn’t think of when the rubber meets the road.

        • Zachariah@lemmy.world
          111·
          6 days ago

          It just goes to show you, you can have whole comment sections of Fediverse users on a post, but there’s still going to be some factor they didn’t think of when the rubber meets the road.