Drill platform for ExoMars rover

The ExoMars rover has a brand new control centre in one of Europe’s largest Mars yards. The Rover Operations Control Centre (ROCC) was inaugurated on 30 May 2019 in Turin, Italy, ahead of the rover’s exploration adventure on the Red Planet in 2021.

When it comes to drilling, the new centre has a unique feature – a platform with a well that will allow the rover operators to exercise the full sequence of collecting martian samples two metres under the surface.

Filled with 140 tonnes of soil, the Mars-like terrain has sandy areas and rocks of various sizes that will help rehearse possible mission scenarios.