Lunar Rover Convertible Mobility System

The Lunar Rover Convertible Mobility System (LRCMS) is a convertible chassis designed to be used for lunar missions into permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) of the moon, primarily consisting of steep lunar craters. This design utilizes flexible members called compliant mechanisms that replace typical joints and reduce abrasive dust build-up in the chassis. The compliant mechanisms allow the chassis to bend into different positions for both explicit point steering and Ackerman style steering. Inside the chassis, linear actuators are used to push/pull the chassis into the different steering configurations. Using SolidWorks simulations, the resilience of the chassis was tested under static forces, cyclic forces, and extreme thermal conditions. The results showed that the chassis will perform as desired. In addition to the simulations, physical testing plans have been designed to gauge the system’s endurance and capabilities.