Scientific and methodological approach to the study of the dynamics of interaction between a planetary rover’s wheeled propulsion system and loosely-bound soil under simulated reduced gravity conditions

The article discusses a scientific and methodological approach to solving the problem of studying the dynamics of interaction of a planetary rover's wheeled propulsion system with weakly bound soil when simulating reduced gravity, which ensures the completeness and reliability of the results of experimental studies of driving characteristics under reduced gravity. A mathematical model is proposed for the dependence of the adhesion coefficient on the slip coefficient of a planetary rover’s wheeled propulsion system when moving on loosely-bound soil under reduced gravity conditions, based on the results of analysis of planetary rover operation on the surface of Mars, the results of experimental studies of wheel interaction with loosely-bound soil under various methods of reduced gravity simulation, and models of wheeled propulsion system interaction with the supporting surface used for ground vehicles. The design of bench equipment for studying the interaction of wheeled propulsion systems with loosely-bound soil under reduced gravity simulation by weightlessness and scale modeling is presented. The results of experimental studies of wheeled propulsion system interaction with loosely-bound soil, obtained at the Affiliate of Lavochkin Association in Kaluga, are presented. An approach to simulating reduced gravity in experimental studies of wheeled propulsion system interaction with loosely-bound soil is proposed, which ensures the completeness and reliability of experimental research results.

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