A compact and lightweight astronaut assistance rover with robust validation

Abstract

Research on planetary rovers has been active for a decade. Planetary rovers are usually designed for surf landing sites on other planets. Rovers with multiple functionalities make conducting interplanetary explorations in outer space practically possible. Most state-of-the-art interplanetary rovers are 6-wheelers and have difficulty performing a 360-degree rotation. In this research, the design and implementation process of a compact 4-wheeler rover named Mongol-Tori with robust capabilities has been approached which can be applied for the exploration of an unknown planet. Bearing in mind that the weight and volume increase the expenditure in space research, a lightweight modified suspension system has been proposed. An effective electronics system increases the run time and helps the driver of the rover to estimate the mission timeline in teleoperation mode. The vigorous design allows the onboard manipulator to complete any assistance task smoothly.