xAn Overview on the Kinematic Analysis of the Rocker-Bogie Suspension

Articulated rocker-bogie suspension systems have gained a lot of attention since they were used for rovers destined for space exploration on Mars. This type of suspension allows the vertical load to be distributed equally between the wheels, reducing the risk of the most loaded wheels sinking in the case of soft ground. This peculiarity is verified if the rover moves on flat and horizontal surfaces; if the rover moves on uneven surfaces, the suspension still allows the wheels to be kept in contact with the ground, but the load distribution changes. This paper presents the study of the variation in the distribution of the load among the wheels and the rover stability for different ground geometries; the study involves a preventive kinematic analysis of position to define the configuration of the suspension as a function of the ground geometry.