Mobility test means of the MMX Rover IDEFIX at DLR – Prototypix

The IDEFIX rover, developed by CNES and DLR for JAXA’s MMX mission, is designed to explore Phobos’ surface to investigate the origins of the Martian moons. Key to achieving its scientific goals is reliable mobility on Phobos’ low-gravity, regolith-covered terrain. To support operations and validate critical flight software, the Prototypix mobility test platform was developed. Prototypix replicates the rover’s key systems, including flight-representative software, locomotion hardware, navigation, and camera systems. It is located in the Planetary Exploration Lab (PEL) at DLR-RMC. While not designed to replicate Phobos’ mechanical environment, Prototypix enables robust mobility operations training, system validation, and software integration. Testing has shown the platform’s effectiveness in simulating mobility scenarios and software testing, confirming the function of the rover and its ground support hardware, such as the gravity offloading mechanism.