Design and Research Co-Simulation Platform of Navigation and Dynamics on Planetary Rovers

Abstract

The overall design idea of simulation platform of the planetary rover coupling navigation and dynamics is proposed to address the dilemma faced in the design of a navigation control system for Mars and other planetary exploration tasks. Based on the modified Bekker model, through subroutine secondary development, the dynamics model for the wheel-soil contact planetary rover in soft soil environment with the MSC.ADAMS software was established. Following the establishment of the interactive parallel simulation system via C++, the dynamic model worked in parallel collaboration with the navigation control system to resolve the closed-loop system where co-simulation was formed, achieving the seamless linkage between and parallel efficient operation of the navigation control system and the dynamic model. Simulation was conducted on the special working conditions of the planetary rover, such as body lift, wheel lift and creep, after suitable selection of soil characteristic parameters. The results showed that the platform enabled the dynamics simulation of the planetary rover to be completed, laying the foundation for designing the navigation control system of the planetary rover.

Keywords

• planetary rover
• coupling simulation
• dynamics of terrain-vehicle
• dynamics of multibody systems