Multibody and Contact Dynamics: From Satellite Capturing to Planetary Rover Terrainability

Abstract

This paper gives a short overview of the multibody and contact dynamics based modelling and simulation activities performed at the German Aerospace Center. These cover two different applications, one in the orbital satellite servicing field and a second one in planetary explorations with rovers, specifically on Mars and Moon. Both topics require efficient and reliable contact dynamics modelling for both, satellite grasping and capturing and for the interaction between rover wheels and soft and hard planetary soils, i.e. the power transmission from the wheel actuators to the ground. Although the two applications areas, at first glance, are not necessarily common to each other, the contact dynamics modelling approach for both areas can rely on the same algorithms.