BASEPROD: The Bardenas Semi-Desert Planetary Rover Dataset

Area of Science:

• Planetary Science
• Robotics
• Geoscience

Background:

• Robotic planetary exploration requires specialized datasets for method development.
• Existing datasets may not fully represent the complexities of extraterrestrial environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel dataset for advancing robotic perception, localization, and navigation.
• To support the evaluation and validation of Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) systems.

Main Methods:

• Acquired rover sensor data (optical, thermal, inertial, force-torque) during 1.7km traverses in Bardenas semi-desert.
• Generated a high-resolution 3D map of the test terrain.
• Collected laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) data of rock samples and local weather data.

Main Results:

• A comprehensive dataset combining scientific and engineering instrument data was obtained.
• The dataset includes unique sensor data from thermal cameras and force-torque sensors.
• The data facilitates research on GNC in unstructured planetary-analog environments.

Conclusions:

• This dataset provides a valuable resource for the advancement of autonomous robotic exploration.
• The inclusion of diverse sensor data enables in-depth analysis of rover performance.
• It serves as a benchmark for testing novel algorithms in realistic Martian-analog conditions.