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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Robot. AI

Sec. Space Robotics

Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/frobt.2025.1638667

Slip Estimation Model for Traversability-based Motion Planning of Cargo Rover on Extraterrestrial Surface

Provisionally accepted
  • Keio University, Hiyoshi Campus, Yokohama, Japan

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

As part of the robotics technologies required for In-situ resource utilization (ISRU), the development of cargo rovers for transporting resources is needed. However, these cargo rovers have unique technical challenges that differ from conventional exploration rovers, including the need to traverse rough terrains with their varying mass due to transporting payloads. Moreover, research addressing these challenges has been limited, and the relevant technologies have not been fully established. To address these challenges, this paper proposes a parametric model for estimating wheel slippage. The model is formulated as a function of four input parameters: slope angle, rover heading angle, payload mass, and wheel angular velocity, and is applicable to resource-transporting rovers with varying mass. Additionally, the use of a parametric model reduces computational load, which offers advantages for onboard implementation. The proposed estimation model was quantitatively evaluated by comparing datasets obtained from multi-body dynamics analysis. This paper also introduces a new traversability assessment model which incorporates the proposed slip estimation model. We demonstrated the proposed model by integrating it into a sampling based motion planning. The simulation result of the motion planning show that the planner with our model can generate safer motions and enables the rover to reach the target regardless of the cargo payload.

Keywords: terramechanics, motion planning, Traversability, Slip estimation, SCM, Project Chrono

Received: 31 May 2025; Accepted: 06 Oct 2025.

Copyright: © 2025 Nishishita and Ishigami. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence: Taisei Nishishita, nishishita.taisei@keio.jp

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