Sujood Abdelhameed
Research Mentor: Cheng Li
Mentor Department: Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, Engineering
Author(s): Not Available
Session: Session 7 (4:00 PM – 4:50 PM)
Presentation Type: Poster 137
Abstract
The JAXA MMX mission is planned to launch in 2027 to explore the surface of the Martian moon Phobos. The surface of Phobos, like many moons, is covered in regolith and requires specialized technology in order to be traversed. The low-gravity environment, along with the rough terrain, poses challenges for surface exploration; these difficulties can be mitigated by optimizing the rover body and wheel design. This research investigates how choices in the wheel geometry and design can influence mobility performance on the surface of Phobos using discrete element method (DEM) simulations. The project is divided into two parts: the mechanical wheel design and the numerical simulations. This work in particular focuses on the simulation component, involving modeling the proposed wheel designs over particle bath simulations of the moon surface. The initial phase of this project involved testing out the simulation software project chrono and validating its function along with the visualization software Paraview. Once the simulations have been established, the project will proceed with investigating the different parameters that impact the wheel performance. This includes grouser geometry, tread size, wheel diameter, and overall shape. These variables will be changed, and their effects will be evaluated to see how they impact the wheel’s traction, slip, sinkage, and mobility on the simulated surface. The results will then be used to determine the optimal design to combat the difficult Phobos environment.
