Obstacle-climbing capability analysis of lunar rover based on double-half-revolution mechanism on lunar soil

Abstract

Taking a new type of lunar rover which is based on a double-half-revolution mechanism as the research object, based on the force analysis between the wheel-leg and lunar soil, its obstacle-climbing force model on lunar soil was established. As the obstacle-climbing model of uneven terrain was relatively complicated and the numbers of independent equation were less than those of unknown variables, a new evaluation index of the obstacle-climbing capability was presented. Taking the friction feasible region as the evaluation index, the larger the friction feasible region, the better the obstacle-climbing capability, and when the friction feasible region the wheel-leg suffered did not exist; the mechanism would not have the obstacle-climbing capability under the initial conditions. When giving the slope angle and obstacle height, the forward obstacle-climbing capability of this lunar rover was analyzed on lunar soil, including single wheel-leg obstacle-climbing and two wheel-legs obstacle-climbing simultaneously. Simulation results show that the feasible solution regions of T1, T2, T3 and T4 are affected by applying specific frictional coefficient.