Research on the function of planetary rover movement in soft ground focusing on crawler lugs

Abstract

Planets such as the Moon and Mars have soft ground covered with sand. In such terrain, a rover that does not get stuck easily is required. Crawler-type rovers have good traveling performance on soft ground, and improving the traveling performance of crawlers-type rovers will enable exploration of previously unexpected area. One of the features that improves the traveling performance is the lugs. In this study, we focused on the inclination of the lugs. We consider that the inclination of the lugs increases running resistance and sand scraping force, which may improve running performance. This study examines effective conditions for crawler lugs and considers the development of a planetary exploration rover with excellent traveling performance in soft ground.