Research on Wheel-walking Motion Control of Lunar Rover with Six Cylinder-conical Wheels

Motion control of a lunar rover is precondition of accomplishing exploration tasks. In order to minimize the power consumption, the power optimum control was carried out for a lunar rover prototype with six cylinder-conical wheels in wheel-walking motion mode. In terms of mechanism principle and configuration features of the lunar rover, the kinematics model of wheel-walking motion was built up. The optimum control model of the motion mode was derived by applying minimal value principle, and the simulation model was constituted based on Simulink. The simulation analysis was carried out. The research results illustrate the validity of optimum control model of wheel-walking motion. The paper gives theory basis for designing motion control system and drive system optimization of lunar rover.