Research on stability of lunar lander soft landing based on flexible models

The influence of flexible body and legs of lander, plastic deformation of lunar regolith on landing impact performance of lander is rarely researched, and literatures about using transient dynamics to analysis soft landing impact performance of lunar lander are also less. In this paper, a new idea and method for research on landing impact performance is presented. Flexible models and transient dynamics are combined to research soft landing impact performance of lunar lander. Firstly flexible models of lunar lander and lunar regolith were built using MSC.PATRAN, and the transient dynamics simulation software MSC.DYTRAN was used to simulate and research the landing impact performance of lunar lander soft landing along uphill. The research results show that the actual landing conditions of lunar lander are simulated more realistic by using flexible models and transient dynamics method together. When lunar lander's four legs land along uphill terrain non-symmetrically, landing impact load of the lunar lander is the least and energy absorption efficiency of the lander's buffering is the highest.