Ultralight mobile drilling system - design and analyses of a robotic platform intended for terrestrial and space applications

In this paper the design of the ultralight mobile drilling system (UMDS) dedicated for environment difficult to explore is presented. The main goal of the system is to extract soil probes from hardly accessible places, thus appropriate mobility must be a significant feature of the system. A special design of a rover is described. The main objectives are related to weight reduction of particular components, preserving demanded durability. The rover features obstacle passing capabilities by an ultralight rocker design with four wheels and central differential mechanism. Additionally, the platform provides tilt angle compensation by adjustments of rocker arms height. Tests of the mobile platform are presented in actual operating conditions.