A Modular Open-Source Rover for Space Robotics Research

This paper introduces the Lunar Rover Mini (LRM), an open-source, low cost mobile robotic platform developed for space robotics research. Started in 2015 at DLR’s Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics, the LRM is built using off-the-shelf hardware and 3D-printed components, with custom body and bogie PCBs that can be released and made openly available for reproduction. It features a modular software framework and robust perception capabilities that support autonomous functionality. The rover’s architecture includes a 6 -wheel triple-rocker-bogie suspension system, a stereo RGB-D vision camera with an integrated IMU, and a 6-DOF robotic arm with a gripper. Middleware frameworks such as ROS, Simulink, and RAFCON are used to enable teleoperation, autonomous navigation, arm manipulation, and frontier-based exploration. Moreover, the compact rover measures $36 \times 26 \times 39$ cm and has a total mass of 3.7 kg, while achieving a maximum speed of $0.13 \mathrm{~m} / \mathrm{s}$. The LRM has been successfully field-tested at different summer schools, demonstrating autonomous 3D mapping, frontier-based exploration, and robotic arm grasping while monitoring electric current. Ongoing work includes the integration of a YOLOv7-based vision pipeline for object detection in mapped environment, integration of IMU data into the transformation tree for improved SLAM accuracy, and further mechanical enhancements. Also, increasing the complexity of autonomous exploration strategies through an utility function. The LRM seeks to bridge the accessibility gap in space robotics by offering a cost-effective, modular, easy-to-assemble rover that features capabilities comparable to those of state-of-the-art planetary rovers.