1P2-N03 Hopping characterization of Microgravity drop test for rover by environmental temperature driven buckling actuator (Space Robotics)

Abstract

Asteroid probe Hayabusa 2 is developed by JAXA. Asteroid exploration rovers will be carried by Hayabusa 2. In our research project, we have developed an environmental-temperature-driven buckling actuator with a bimetal thin plate for a hopping mechanism of the rover. In this study, to characterize the hopping capability of the actuator, we conducted microgravity examination in ZARM drop tower. We fabricate a test rover for the microgravity examination with a rapid heating system for actuation in short free-fall time. Although reaction force from baseplate was incomplete in take-off, the rover hopped with a vertical velocity of 3.12 mm/s with 0.035 rad/s rotating rate.