Robotics Mars Technology in the Stress Test

On the Zugspitze (Germany), a team from the University of Würzburg (Germany) tested new communication technologies for Mars research. The results can serve as a basis for the use of robots in future missions.

At the end of March, Germany's highest peak was transformed into a simulated Mars landscape: a team from the Interdisciplinary Research Center for Extraterrestrics (IFEX) at the University of Würzburg tested a seamless communication chain there, similar to what could be used in future Mars missions. The goal was to test technologies and procedures for future Mars missions in the most realistic environment possible.

The ridge tunnel at the Schneefernerhaus, running along the north side of the Zugspitze, served as the test environment for the team. For simulating Mars exploration, the tunnel offers ideal conditions for such experiments with its isolated environment and, at the same time, good accessibility.

Why a tunnel of all places? "Researchers assume that any potential life on Mars is more likely to be found below the surface. Caves there might provide protection against strong radiation and extreme temperatures," explains Hakan Kayal, professor of space technology and head of the Interdisciplinary Research Center for Extraterrestrics at the University of Würzburg. Such environments are technically challenging: radio connections are severely limited or not possible at all.

This problem is to be solved by the seamless communication chain developed by the Würzburg team. To test it, the Scout Rover from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) was used, developed at the Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics in Oberpfaffenhofen (Germany). As part of the testing, the rover was to be remotely controlled in the ridge tunnel.

The path of signals to the rover was long: from the control center on Earth, they first reached a replica satellite simulating a radio station in Mars orbit. From there, the signal was sent to a base station at the cave entrance, the so-called gateway. Inside the tunnel, the connection was then relayed, like a bucket chain, through five individual radio relays. This system successfully bridged a distance of over 250 meters (approx. 820 feet) reliably, enabling stable communication with the exploration robot deep within the mountain. The technology involved drew on the experience of the successful Würzburg satellite mission Sonate 2 and hardware from the Berlin-based company IQ Spacecom.

Rover successfully Remotely Controlled

"We successfully managed to fully control the rover remotely," reports Hakan Kayal on the outcome. Using so-called telecommands, the team was able to trigger specific actions, such as taking environmental photos, creating laser scans, or executing targeted driving maneuvers through the terrain.

The data collected during this process flowed back through the entire radio chain to the control center, where the researchers directly analyzed it to decide the robot's next steps. "This procedure reflects the methodology of an actual space mission," says Kayal.

After the tests were completed, the research team's conclusion is clear: "The Mars analog test we conducted impressively demonstrates that complex communication and exploration scenarios can be reliably implemented even under extreme conditions." The findings provide important insights for future robotic missions to explore Mars, especially for operations in hard-to-access cave environments.

Looking to the Sky Complements Mars Research

The project is complemented by the AllSkyCAM, which was installed in September 2025 and is operated and tested by Hakan Kayal and his team as part of the "VaMEx3—MarsSymphony" project at the Schneefernerhaus. As part of the gateway, this camera not only enables continuous sky observation but also serves as a platform for testing the communication link to the orbiter, particularly with regard to the transmission of large data volumes.

The AllSkyCAM thus takes on a dual function within the gateway: on the one hand, the investigation of atmospheric phenomena such as clouds and meteors, as well as the systematic recording of previously unclassified phenomena (Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena, UAP); on the other hand, the practical validation of high-performance data communication, which is also of central importance for the connection and operation of the cave robot.

The VaMEx3-MarsSymphony project is funded by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) with funds from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) based on a resolution of the German Bundestag (FKZ 50RK2451A).