Inspection Technique for Reliability Analysis of Lunar Rover Wheel Designs

A technique is presented that evaluates the reliability of lunar rover wheel designs where data for operation in the lunar environment are not available for traditional reliability analysis. The visual inspection technique is described and an analysis of five historical wheels and four new wheels designed by McGill University is given. The wheel designs were visually analysed according to specific criteria with regard to potential failure under lunar conditions (temperature, vacuum, regolith) considering wear resistance, thermal compatibility, excess loading, torque, etc. Potential wheel performance was quantified using a numerical scale with regard to potential failure due to events, such as temperature fluctuation, wheel-rock impact, excess payload, abrasive wear, etc. The best designs were the Apollo 17 wire mesh wheel (historical) and the iRing wheel (McGill). A reliability checklist which can serve as a guideline to avoid unreliable design features is given.