NASA Tests Mars Lander Legs for Future Sample Return Mission

NASA is preparing for the most ambitious Mars landing yet, as engineers test the legs and footpads of a future Sample Retrieval Lander. The lander, which will be the heaviest spacecraft to ever touch down on Mars, is designed to retrieve rock samples collected by the Perseverance rover and return them to Earth for detailed analysis.

The testing, conducted at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, involves drop tests and simulations to understand how the lander will absorb impact during touchdown. Engineers have tested a three-eighths scale model of the lander, as well as full-size footpads in a simulated Martian soil environment. These tests are critical for refining the design and ensuring the lander can handle various landing scenarios, including uneven terrain and angled touchdowns.

During one test, a mini-lander was dropped from a pendulum to simulate an angled landing, revealing a wobble in one of the leg struts. This finding will lead to stronger struts in the final design. Engineers are also testing load limiters—steel rods that absorb impact during landing. These components, larger than those used on previous landers, are essential for the stability of the spacecraft.

The footpads are tested in a large container filled with 10,000 pounds of Mars-like soil. Each test involves reconstructing the soil bed to match Martian conditions, a time-consuming process that ensures accurate data collection. The goal is to prevent the lander from sinking too deep into the surface and to ensure it remains level, as it will also serve as a launch platform for the sample-return rocket.

These tests are part of a broader effort to make the Mars Sample Return mission a reality, combining NASA and ESA expertise to bring Mars samples back to Earth for the first time.