14:37Machine-translated from Azerbaijani by AIRead in Azerbaijani
Airbus Controls ExoMars Rover Prototype With a Steam Deck Handheld PC
Airbus is using a Steam Deck to control the prototype of the Mars rover being developed for the ExoMars program. During development and testing in the UK, Valve's handheld computer is used as a control device. The rover that will travel across the Martian surface must operate autonomously once it arrives there. However, it needs to be controlled directly while being tested on Earth.
The tests are conducted in an area designed to resemble the Martian surface. The Steam Deck runs unnamed custom software. Engineers steer the rover using the device's analog sticks, trigger-like buttons, and front buttons. Footage recorded during Tom Scott's visit to the Airbus facility also showed this control method. The Steam Deck is essentially a Linux-based handheld computer. The device has physical buttons, a touchscreen, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connectivity. Windows can also be installed on it. This allows the custom software developed for the rover to run directly on the device. Conventional DualSense and Xbox controllers cannot run such software themselves.
Airbus teams in Stevenage are currently working on the platform that will help the rover land on Mars in 2030. The project includes developing the platform's mechanical structure, thermal management, and mobility systems. The rover that will be sent to Mars will officially be named Rosalind Franklin. According to the company, the spacecraft's safe landing will be the culmination of more than 20 years of work.
The tests are conducted in an area designed to resemble the Martian surface. The Steam Deck runs unnamed custom software. Engineers steer the rover using the device's analog sticks, trigger-like buttons, and front buttons. Footage recorded during Tom Scott's visit to the Airbus facility also showed this control method. The Steam Deck is essentially a Linux-based handheld computer. The device has physical buttons, a touchscreen, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connectivity. Windows can also be installed on it. This allows the custom software developed for the rover to run directly on the device. Conventional DualSense and Xbox controllers cannot run such software themselves. Airbus teams in Stevenage are currently working on the platform that will help the rover land on Mars in 2030. The project includes developing the platform's mechanical structure, thermal management, and mobility systems. The rover that will be sent to Mars will officially be named Rosalind Franklin. According to the company, the spacecraft's safe landing will be the culmination of more than 20 years of work.