Advancing Mars Exploration: Development of a Large-Scale Gravity Compensation System for Landers during Descent

As space exploration advances, an increasing number of planets are becoming targets for landing missions. Before officially launching a lander, it is essential to conduct landing tests on Earth to verify the functionality of the lander. One key challenge is to simulate the target planet's gravity environment during the lander's descent. In this study, a large-scale gravity compensation system is developed to physically simulate the Martian gravity for the landing tests of a Mars lander. The system integrates a constant force mechanism and electronic control systems, working closely to ensure smooth transitions between working states during the landing tests. Based on the principle of minimum potential energy, an expression for the output force of the constant force mechanism is established, and the influence of factors such as mechanical parameters on the output force is analyzed. Experimental results show that the system can provide gravity compensation for a 720-kg Mars lander. It maintains a nearly constant output force even when the lander touches the ground and during the subsequent period, demonstrating its adaptability to transient collisions and sudden state changes.