Output details
13 - Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Metallurgy and Materials
University of Surrey
Walking planetary rovers - Experimental analysis and modelling of leg thrust in loose granular soils
The state of the art reveals that no research has been conducted to understand how walking rovers interact with granular planetary soils. This paper presents the first experimental analysis of such leg-soil interactions. Data was acquired using a representative single leg test-bed operating on characterized Martian soil simulants. This ESA funded study is providing new insights into advanced walking rover concepts and will create a remarkable impact on the choice of mobility systems for future surface exploration missions. As an outcome of this study, ESA’s Advanced Concepts team has recently launched another project on advanced gait control of walking rovers.
