Researchers test gear for future missions in Mars-mimicking chamber

Researchers have designed a vacuum chamber capable of mimicking conditions on Mars to test gear for use in future missions.

A research team in Spain has tested new electromechanical gear for potential use in future missions to the 'Red Planet' in their Mars environmental simulation chamber, which is specially designed to mimic conditions on the planet.

Jesus Sobrado, the scientist in charge of the machine's technical development, said that the vacuum chambers can answer many questions about Mars or other related planetary bodies, both from scientific and technology points of view.

The planet may have either been capable of supporting life in the past or is possibly even supporting it right now within its subsurface and it is critical to first develop new sensors and instruments capable of detecting the planet's atmospheric and surface characteristics as it is the key target for future space explorations.

The study was published in the journal Review of Scientific Instruments.