Investigation On The Structure Design And Analysis For Lunar Rover Vehicle

Lunar exploration is a important procedure of the sustainable、innovative development of China’saerospace activity. With the development of the China’s lunar exploration project, the design anddevelopment of manned lunar rover become one of the key problems.Unique performance index of lunar rover moving mechanism and special working environmentof the lunar surface put forward special requirement of the moving mechanism of the lunar rover. Incomprehensive consideration of key factors such as lunar rover moving type, suspension type and thenumber of wheels for manned lunar rover mission, a certain kind of manned lunar rover movingsystem was put forward, and the main structure of the manned lunar rover was designed, including thedesign of central chassis、the front and the after chassis and the suspension system design, as well asthe selection of the wheel.The working principle and the applicable scope of the three existing expansion and releasemechanism of planet rover is summarized, in this paper. Suspension type of expansion releasemechanism was adopted, based on the characteristics of the manned lunar mission requirement. Thecomposition and the work principle of the suspension type expansion release mechanism wereillustrated. Fault tree analysis (FTA) of the suspension type expansion release mechanism was carriedout. Main indexes of quantitative analysis are derived for calculating the probability importancedegree and critical importance degree formula, based on the fault tree.According to the condition of the static analysis and modal analysis, structure and mechanism ofthe manned lunar rover’s chassis and suspension is simplified, and the finite element analysis model isestablished. Firstly, static analysis of manned lunar rover on loaded state was carried out, deformationresults of the static analysis was given, to test and verify the structural stiffness can meet therequirement of lunar rover. The stress result was given to test and verify the structural strength cansatisfies the requirements of task. Chassis finite element analysis model on the state of launching wasestablished, and the modal analysis of lunar rover chassis was carried out. Natural frequency andmode shapes charts were worked out to provide reference for the selection of engineering vibrationfrequency interval.The manned lunar vehicle chassis static test platform program was given, then test-bed、hydraulic loading system and the test prototype are designed. Taking the lunar surface environmentinto consideration, the paper also describes several kinds of lunar gravity simulation method and lunarsoil simulation method, and introduces the lunar rover wheel traction performance test in the soil tank.