Improving landing stability and terrain adaptability in Lunar exploration with biomimetic lander design and control

Abstract

Traditional lunar landers face challenges due to strict flatness requirements at landing sites and the need to avoid complex terrains, which significantly limits their exploration capabilities and success rates. Additionally, their focus on stable landings often compromises their maneuverability, reducing adaptability to various lunar terrains. To address these issues, this study introduces a walkable cat-legged lander (WCLL) inspired by feline landing mechanisms. The WCLL integrates features from both traditional landers and rovers, enabling it to perform high-load landings and navigate effectively across diverse lunar surfaces. It utilizes magnetorheological dampers to dissipate impact energy and employs a soft-landing control method, achieving stable landings under various conditions, including vertical velocities of 3 m/s, payloads of 1280 kg, slopes of 15°, and horizontal disturbances at speeds of 2 m/s. Compared to the Chang'e−3 lander, the WCLL shows a 66.7 % increase in slope adaptability and a 22.6 % improvement in resistance to horizontal disturbances. Finally, experimental validation confirms the accuracy of the simulation model, providing valuable insights for future lunar exploration robot design.