Research of shape memory alloy wheels for Mars rovers
Zambelli, Giovanni (2021)
2021
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2021061115755
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2021061115755
Tiivistelmä
The degradation of Curiosity’s wheels has stated that new technologies need to be used for solving the problem of wheel wear on Mars exploration. One of these technologies is invented by NASA and consists in the usage of Shape Memory Alloys (SMA) to build a flexible deformable wheel that show no permanent damage after deformation.
This thesis is the investigation of how Shape Memory Alloys work to understand its usage in exploration rover wheels, in particular for Mars rovers.
The thesis starts with an investigation to understand how wheels of rovers were made in the past, how they are done nowadays and how are they going to be in the next years. Leading to a deep research on Shape Memory Alloys, going through the material itself and its properties, explaining how it works and how the structure of the wheel developed by NASA works.
The research provides a background on rover wheels, that lead to the understanding of Shape Memory Alloys and their usage on wheels for Mars exploration rovers
This thesis is the investigation of how Shape Memory Alloys work to understand its usage in exploration rover wheels, in particular for Mars rovers.
The thesis starts with an investigation to understand how wheels of rovers were made in the past, how they are done nowadays and how are they going to be in the next years. Leading to a deep research on Shape Memory Alloys, going through the material itself and its properties, explaining how it works and how the structure of the wheel developed by NASA works.
The research provides a background on rover wheels, that lead to the understanding of Shape Memory Alloys and their usage on wheels for Mars exploration rovers