A new design of inflatable and lightweight device for Planetary Exploration

Inflatable structures have many potential applications in space collapsible structures, this paper based on the premise of the same exploring features on the Planetary Exploration Device (PED) designs a new type of inflatable and lightweight model of PED. The device structure is designed to be a wheel style, which can be folded together in the transport process and in non-working state. Comparing with traditional devices, the new Wheeled Planetary Exploration Device (CWPED) reduces the space of transporting the exploration equipments and decreases the transport costs, moreover, this device provides convenient conditions for the equipment package of the CWPED, and there are evident advantages in the aspects of handing, solar absorption, volume and quality. This article mainly introduces the preliminary design of the CWPED, and the structural characteristics of the device, the principle of motion control and the design of wheeled body skin material are analyzed.