Rover Chassis & Suspension

The Mars rover project is part of the University Rover Challenge (URC), a robotics competition organized by the Mars Society that tasks student teams with designing and building the next generation of Mars rovers. Cal Poly Human Space Technology and Research (CP-HSTAR) has inherited a rover developed by a previous senior design team.\nThis report documents the progress made in refining the rover’s structure, highlighting key specifications, and detailing design improvements aimed at enhancing the suspension’s structural integrity, improving wheel traction, increasing modularity, and developing an enclosed chassis for electronic components.\nThis report includes a detailed breakdown of the rover’s chassis, differential, and suspension design. As well as the implementation of the verification prototype, design verification results, and future work required to optimize the prototype. The appendices provide supporting documentation such as the user manual, risk assessment, budget, and test procedures.