Herbert, George William1 (1998)
Mobility of Large Manned Rovers on Mars
In: Proceedings of The Founding Convention of the Mars Society, edited by Zubrin, RM, and Zubrin, M. Univelt, Incorporated.
MAR A study of a number of earth analogs for large, heavy, long range off-road vehicles generates useful inputs for rover design on Mars. An investigation into the types of suspensions available, wheeled and tracked, looks at their suitability for Mars use. Analysis of the mechanics and dynamics of power requirements indicates that motive power for a given speed should scale with the local gravity. Relative stability and mobility of vehicles are examined and the lesser stability of Mars vehicles quantified and shown to be within workable limits. Rover propulsion options are examined, investigating characteristics of possible fuel cell and internal combustion power-trains. Finally, three sample long range expeditionary rovers are described with estimated traverse ranges of over 5,000 km.
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