On 26 September 2023, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) inaugurated its Moon-Mars Test Site at the Robotics and Mechatronics Center (RMC) in Oberpfaffenhofen. Designed to replicate the geological and environmental conditions of extraterrestrial landscapes, the facility offers researchers a controlled yet realistic environment to evaluate and refine robotic systems destined for planetary exploration.
The Moon and Mars remain central objectives for European and international space agencies. Before human crews arrive, robotic missions will be tasked with surveying hazardous terrain, extracting and processing local resources, and preparing infrastructure for astronaut landings. The demand for autonomous mobile systems capable of operating in such environments is expected to grow sharply. DLR’s new test site addresses this need by providing a permanent, accessible proving ground adjacent to the institute’s main building.
Previously, field trials often required deployment to remote and inhospitable locations such as Mount Etna, which introduced logistical complexity and limited testing frequency. The Oberpfaffenhofen facility eliminates these constraints, enabling continuous experimentation and rapid iteration. Researchers can expose machines to realistic terrain profiles, evaluate cooperative strategies between heterogeneous robots, and simulate complex mission sequences without leaving the campus. The site is also intended to serve external partners from both industry and academia, reinforcing Germany’s position in the global robotics sector.
“I am convinced that the RMC Moon-Mars Test Site will give a strong boost to exploration robotics. I am particularly looking forward to using our robots in the future to explore places that have so far been inaccessible to humankind,” stated Alin Albu-Schäffer, Director of the DLR Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics. His optimism is grounded in ongoing projects such as the German-French rover IDEFIX, developed in collaboration with CNES. IDEFIX is slated to explore Phobos, one of Mars’s moons, during the Japanese MMX mission. Technologies proven in this mission form the foundation for other robotic platforms—whether wheeled, legged, or articulated—that are now undergoing trials at the new site.
Covering 1500 square metres, the test area is divided into two distinct zones: two-thirds simulating lunar terrain and one-third replicating Martian geology. The design incorporates craters, hills, gullies, dunes, and a tunnel, constructed from materials including basalt, lava rock, fine gravel, and suevite sourced from the Nördlinger Ries crater in Germany. These geological features meet specifications relevant to planetary science, ensuring that mobility, navigation, and manipulation systems are tested against authentic challenges.
The Moon-Mars Test Site is physically linked to the existing Test Site for Planetary Rovers, established in 2021 by the DLR Institute of System Dynamics and Control. That earlier facility was used to train the Scout rover for extreme terrain traversal. A connecting trail now integrates the two environments, allowing cross-institute collaboration and shared use of resources.
This expanded infrastructure supports a broad spectrum of research activities. Wheel- and leg-based locomotion systems can be evaluated for stability and efficiency over varied surfaces. Autonomous navigation algorithms are tested in conditions that mimic the sensor occlusion and terrain unpredictability found on other worlds. Multimodal object recognition systems are assessed for their ability to identify geological features or mission-relevant targets under variable lighting and dust conditions. Mobile manipulation tasks—where robots travel to a location and perform operations using end-effectors—are conducted to refine dexterity and task sequencing.
The facility also enables multi-robot collaboration experiments. Teams of machines with differing capabilities can be deployed to cooperatively map terrain, share sensor data, and execute distributed tasks without human intervention. An optical tracking system provides precise reference measurements, establishing standardized datasets for internal and external users. These benchmarks are critical for validating navigation accuracy, manipulation precision, and system robustness across diverse platforms.