Why do most NASA rovers have 6 wheels?

@thebigk • Oct 23, 2024

Oct 23, 2024

1.7K

Most of the NASA bots and rovers that were sent to the Moon or Mars have 6-wheels. I've always wanted to ask what advantage do these 6 wheels offer. Of course you can have all the stability with the 4 wheels and I see no clear purpose in having two extra wheels. Do the two additional wheels allow for better movement on uneven surfaces?

Also curious to know whether all the 6 wheels are powered?

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Sarathkumar Chandrasekaran

@sarathkumar-FEGRPw • Oct 27, 2013

It would offer a better stability while rolling over irregular road surface when compared to an ordinary four wheeler vehicle.the probability to get toppled is very less when compared to four wheeler.
I found the link when searching for the six wheeler vehicle's advantages but it's not about a NASA rover but it is about a 6 wheeled sports car.The advantages are explained so I am eager to share it #-Link-Snipped-#

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Kaustubh Katdare

@thebigk • Oct 27, 2013

Well, I'm looking for explanations on how the 6 wheels add to the stability. The article about sports car talks about very specific purpose. The sports cars would ideally be running on smooth roads while the rovers are specifically designed to move on uneven ones.
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Sarathkumar Chandrasekaran

@sarathkumar-FEGRPw • Oct 27, 2013

Yes consider a six wheeler running over a bump and a same bump was crossed by a four wheeler.If the four wheeler's front wheel rolls over a bump, it has less stability and if it has 6 wheels , it could pass it much comfortly .(Correct me if i am wrong)
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KSS Manian

@kss-TLq9Kp • Oct 28, 2013

SarathKumar Chandrasekaran
Yes consider a six wheeler running over a bump and a same bump was crossed by a four wheeler.If the four wheeler's front wheel rolls over a bump, it has less stability and if it has 6 wheels , it could pass it much comfortly .(Correct me if i am wrong)
I agree with the points mentioned by @#-Link-Snipped-# . Whenever it over the bunds or rock. It will give better stablility. If 8 or more wheels then it will be even better. But think about the weight & accomodation.

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Jeffrey Arulraj

@jeffrey-xA7lUP • Nov 1, 2013

Number of axles present will also help in better distribution of weight of the rover and As this increases the area over which the load is distributed also increases

As area of dispersion increase we have higher stability of the rover compared to four wheel driven
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Kaustubh Katdare

@thebigk • Nov 16, 2013

Maybe the overall maneuverability of the rover increases when each of the wheel is powered separately. Still looking for better answers 😀
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yogi.bharadwaj

@yogibharadwaj-l2QJTU • Nov 17, 2013

Nasa should designed there rowers for the surface which is not much safer or it full of hurdles and one more thing is the gravity which is much different then the earth gravity six wheels will makes it more easier to cross a hump then the four wheel because a four wheeler when crosses it its 1 or 2 wheels losses its control but if its 6 wheeler then if 2 wheel gets out of control then its 4 wheels will be i think easily able to control it. Thats why it uses 6 wheels on more thing is that by providing 6 wheels the area of contact increases and by this increases area of contact you very well know that what the advantages of it because u r senior than me.correct me if i am wrong.
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