Low Power Mobility System for Micro Planetary Rover Micro 5

Abstract

In this paper, we propose a newly developed suspension system called “Pentad Grade Assist Suspension (PEGASUS)”. PEGASUS has high mobility as well as rocker-bogie suspension, with very simple mechanism called only-one-joint architecture. PEGASUS is able to successfully climb up on the stepalike terrain with low energy consumption by scale model test. The prototype of micro planetary rover Micro5 which has been developed by the rover R&D group of ISAS, Meiji university, and Chuo university, adopts PEGASUS as its mobility system. The Micro5 is under testing on the variety types of land environment.