Rough and Steep Terrain Lunar Surface Mobility

Abstract: In the summer of 2004, the NASA Exploration Systems Mission Directorate conducted an open call for projects relevant to human and robotic exploration of the Earth-Moon and Mars systems. A project entitled "Rough and Steep Terrain Lunar Surface Mobility " was submitted by JPL and accepted by NASA. The principal investigator of this project describes the robotic vehicle being developed for this effort, which includes six "wheels-on-legs " so that it can roll efficiently on relatively smooth terrain but walk (using locked wheels as footpads) when "the going gets rough". Introduction: Previous missions to the moon went to mostly flat terrain where landing would be safe. However, orbiter images show many places on the moon that are very mountainous, or that have crater ejecta or other dense hazar