FIDO Rover System Enhancements for High-Fidelity Mission Simulations

The FIDO (Field Integrated Design & Operations) rover is an advanced mobility platform and research prototype for future Mars surface missions planned by NASA. It was used in a recent field trial aimed at realistic simulation of the 2003 NASA Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) mission. This paper reports the key system enhancements made to improve the utility of the FIDO rover as a platform for highfidelity, physical simulation of Mars surface missions. We describe the approach taken to improve mission-relevant fidelity of the rover system in support of resource modeling, contingency sequencing, and added rover functionality as proposed for the actual mission. This is followed by a brief overview of autonomy technologies demonstrated in the field trial, infused into the flight mission, and advanced relative to the current mission baseline.