Peservance's mobility system - Summary draft 1

According to NASA (n.d.), the mobility system of the Perseverance rover stands out among Martian vehicles. The rover can travel at speeds of 4.2cm per second and consumes less than 200 watts. The mobility system comprises of two components: the driving and suspension systems.  

The driving system consists of six wheels fitted with brushless DC motors, accompanied by extra steering motors in the front and rear legs (NASA, 2019). These wheels, measuring 52.5 cm in diameter, are crafted from an aluminum alloy with titanium spokes. They have modified EC 32 flat drive motors (Maxon, 2020), and cleats have been retrofitted onto the wheels to enhance traction. The legs are constructed from titanium tubing, enabling the rover to traverse uneven Martian terrain and overcome obstacles surpassing 40 cm in height (NASA, n.d.). 

The suspension system, identified as the "rocker-bogie" system, is composed of three interconnected components: the differential, rocker, and bogie. These elements collaborate to receive 3-axis position information from the internal measurement unit (IMU) and efficiently distribute the rover's weight across its six wheels. This intricately designed system minimizes tilt during traversal over uneven Martian terrain, thereby enhancing the rover's overall stability (NASA, n.d.). 

In contrast to Perseverance, which achieves an average speed of 4.2 cm per second, the mobility systems of preceding Martian rovers exhibit comparatively slower performance. For instance, the Curiosity rover maintains an average speed of 4 cm per second, while the Opportunity rover operates at a more modest 1 cm per second (NASA, n.d.). The discernible acceleration in technology over the years has played a pivotal role, enabling a notable enhancement in exploration speed on Mars. 

References

NASA. (n.d.). Rover Wheels. https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/spacecraft/rover/wheels/

NASA. (n.d.). Rover Brains. https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/spacecraft/rover/brains/

Maxon. (2020, July 7). Retrieved from https://www.maxongroup.net.au/medias/sys_master/root/8843051204638/maxon-DC-motors-are-heading-to-Mars-onboard-NASA-s-Perseverance-rover.pdf.

NASA. (n.d.). Wheels. https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/spacecraft/rover/wheels/

NASA. (n.d.). The Rover’s wheels. https://mars.nasa.gov/mer/mission/rover/wheels-and-legs/