Mobility of the micro lunar rover has become one of the major research subjects for Japan's first lunar surface mission, as its planning efforts shifted to a detailed design phase. The experimental and analytical studies on the mobility of the lunar rover have been thus performed to evaluate traveling performance of the driving gear of the rover, and to design an optimal mechanism suitable for moving on regolith. Experiments were conducted both in full-scale and 1/6-scale models using wheel traveling apparatuses, and relationships between the mobility of wheels and traveling conditions were obtained. A simulation model of the wheel-soil system was developed by using two-dimensional Distinct Element Method (DEM). It was confirmed that the developed DEM model satisfactorily analyzed the mechanical relationship of the wheel mobility. Results of these experimental and analytical studies will contribute to the design the driving mechanism of a micro lunar rover.
Terramechanics of a Micro Lunar Rover
Ninth Biennial Conference on Engineering, Construction, and Operations in Challenging Environments ; 2004 ; League City, Houston, Texas, United States
2004-03-03
Conference paper
Electronic Resource
English
Terramechanics of a Micro Lunar Rover
British Library Conference Proceedings | 2004
|ROSTDyn: Rover simulation based on terramechanics and dynamics
Online Contents | 2013
|Terramechanics Model and Motion Control Strategy Simulation for down-Slope Travel of a Lunar Rover
Trans Tech Publications | 2012
|