Session
Weekend Poster Session 1
Location
Utah State University, Logan, UT
Abstract
One of the main challenges planetary rovers face today is their ability to traverse various terrains. Driving a test rover over mechanically similar terrains on Earth is one of the best ways to test the rover’s performance before it is sent on its mission. However, through background research, I found that most Martian regolith simulants are not mechanically similar to Martian regolith. This paper aims to find an affordable and accessible Martian regolith simulant that is suitable for rover mobility research. The two most notable parameters that characterize the regolith-wheel interactions are the regolith cohesive strength (c) and internal friction angle (ϕ). After conducting direct shear tests on pit sand, silica sand of various grain sizes, and silt; I found that silt was the most suitable Martian regolith simulant.
SSC23-WP1-31 Poster
Developing an Affordable, Mechanically Similar Martian Regolith Simulant
Utah State University, Logan, UT
One of the main challenges planetary rovers face today is their ability to traverse various terrains. Driving a test rover over mechanically similar terrains on Earth is one of the best ways to test the rover’s performance before it is sent on its mission. However, through background research, I found that most Martian regolith simulants are not mechanically similar to Martian regolith. This paper aims to find an affordable and accessible Martian regolith simulant that is suitable for rover mobility research. The two most notable parameters that characterize the regolith-wheel interactions are the regolith cohesive strength (c) and internal friction angle (ϕ). After conducting direct shear tests on pit sand, silica sand of various grain sizes, and silt; I found that silt was the most suitable Martian regolith simulant.
