Advance Simulation Method for Wheel-Terrain Interactions of Space Rovers: A Case Study on the UAE Rashid Rover∗

A thorough analysis of wheel-terrain interaction is crucial to ensure the safe and efficient operation of space rovers on extraterrestrial surfaces like the Moon or Mars. This paper presents an approach for developing and experimentally validating a novel virtual simulation method for the wheel-terrain interaction of the UAE Rashid rover's wheel. Specifically, the method is developed based on the modified Reece tire model in conjunction with the Grouser effect as an additional factor. The proposed method aims to improve the fidelity and capability of current simulation methods for space rovers. It considers various factors, such as wheel properties, wheel slippage, loose soil properties, and interaction mechanics. Moreover, the developed simulation method was validated through sets of experiments on a Test-rig that simulated lunar soil conditions. These experiments were carried out with different slip ratios of 0.00, 0.25, 0.50, and 0.75, to test the behaviors acted on the rover's wheel by the lunar soil. The obtained results demonstrate that the proposed simulation method provides an accurate and realistic simulation of the wheel-terrain interaction behavior, achieving an overall prediction accuracy of 95.57%.