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January 2017

Mars Rover Model Making at Ogle Models

You may have recently seen our completed project, ExoMars, for Airbus Defence and Space. Our model makers created the body and solar panels on the Mars Lander rover chassis, to be used for terrain handling and testing purposes in laboratory conditions.

Learn the details of how we completed the project in our case study

What Ogle Had to Say:

It’s a great pleasure to be able to talk about such a prestigious project. We wanted to delve a little deeper into the purpose of ExoMars.

Having successfully worked with Airbus for over 10 years on a number of fascinating projects, we’re always excited to see what’s coming next, and this Space-bound autonomous vehicle didn’t disappoint.

The Mars Rover Concept and Purpose

The main objective of sending this autonomous vehicle to Mars is to address one of the most deliberated scientific questions of our time: is there, or has there ever been, life on Mars.

Completion of the project will see the robotic rover used as part of the second phase of ExoMars, drilling up to 2m below the surface to detect organisms.

The first part of the project was the successful launch of a satellite to study the atmosphere of the planet.

As the BBC reported in December 2016, Europe’s research ministers were meeting in Lucerne, Switzerland, to decide whether or not to push ahead with plans to land a robot rover on Mars in 2021.

Whilst there may have been stumbling blocks for the ambitious project along the way, it is now running true to its original timeline, and the ExoMars rover will be on the Red Planet by 2021.

Airbus Defence and Space Create a Cleanroom

A couple of years ago, the UK aerospace laboratory (Airbus) in Stevenage was given a three-month deep-clean.
This was to ensure that any parts brought in for testing would not carry any bugs from earth which could create inaccurate readings.

There is a public webcam set up in the room so spectators could follow the assembly of the Mars rover from anywhere in the world.

Dave Bennion the Marketing and Sales Director for Ogle, said:

It has been a pleasure for the team at Ogle to yet again work with the extraordinary brains over at Airbus Defence and Space – and it’s exciting to see what they come to us with next.

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on +44 (0) 1462 682 661 or email us at [email protected].