抄録
The asteroid exploration spacecraft "Hayabusa 2" was launched in December, 2014. Similar asteroids missions have attracted attention in recent years. Asteroids are important exploration objects since their body has little thermal deformation and information about old materials. However, the gravity of asteroid surface is so small and the exploration is difficult by using the wheel mechanism. This paper presents the deployment type hopping rover for in situ explorations. The rover not only has high mobility in microgravity environment, but also its thermal control is available by opening or closing the deployment mechanism. The authors investigate the three dimensional mobility and especially the relationship between the force direction that penetrates a mass point of the rover and the load point at the hopping. Evaluation of the roll of each axis is performed by simulations and the microgravity experiments performed in a drop tower.
