The European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Space Resources Innovation Centre (ESRIC) created the Space Resources Challenge to invite researchers and companies to propose innovative solutions for Multi-Robot Systems (MRS) space prospection. This paper proposes the Resilient Exploration And Lunar Mapping System 2 (REALMS2), a MRS framework for planetary prospection and mapping. Based on Robot Operating System version 2 (ROS 2) and enhanced with Visual Simultaneous Localisation And Mapping (vSLAM) for map generation, REALMS2 uses a mesh network for a robust ad hoc network. A single graphical user interface (GUI) controls all the rovers, providing a simple overview of the robotic mission. This system is designed for heterogeneous multi-robot exploratory missions, tackling the challenges presented by extraterrestrial environments. REALMS2 was used during the second field test of the ESA-ESRIC Challenge and allowed to map around 60% of the area, using three homogeneous rovers while handling communication delays and blackouts.
@article{arxiv.2510.26638,
title = {REALMS2 -- Resilient Exploration And Lunar Mapping System 2 -- A Comprehensive Approach},
author = {Dave van der Meer and Loïck P. Chovet and Gabriel M. Garcia and Abhishek Bera and Miguel A. Olivares-Mendez},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2510.26638},
year = {2025}
}
Comments
8 Pages, 8 Figures, Submitted and Accepted to IROS 2025