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12 Integration and Assembly Technology of Lunar Lander
There was a special deck with the lunar rover transfer mechanism on the Chang’E-3
lunar lander. Since the transfer mechanism was designed to ensure the deployment
of the lunar rover, it was strictly forbidden to touch during the assembly process. At
the same time, there were protrusions such as gas tanks around the structural deck.
Therefore, it was impossible for the operators or tilting carriage to lift. Through
the parallel design of the equipment and technological process, the lifting method
was applied to assemble the deck with the transfer mechanism. At the same time,
the hanging point and hanging mode of the module were verified in the phase of
structure assembly. At the end, in the process of system integration and assembly, the
assembly difficulty of the large size and large mass deck with the transfer mechanism
in compact space was solved.
3. Assembly of Lunar Rover
On the top deck of the Chang’E-3 lunar lander, there was the lunar rover. After
the lunar lander was landed on lunar surface, the lunar rover would be deployed by
the release and hold on mechanism and the transfer mechanism. The lunar rover
was connected with the lunar lander with a transition bracket. During the process
of separation, the moving path of the lunar rover was provided by the guide device,
lifting mechanism and the track in the release and hold on mechanism. Therefore,
the assembly of the transition bracket and the release and hold on mechanism were
the key of the assembly of the lunar rover. In the design of assembly process for
the lunar lander, the assembly simulation analysis of ergonomics of the transition
bracket based on virtual simulation technology was conducted. At last, a reasonable
technological process was designed, and a multi-degree of freedom attitude adjustment platform was developed to implement the docking operation of the lunar rover
with the lunar lander at certain height. In addition, special measuring tools were
developed to implement fine adjustment of the guide device of release and hold on
mechanism, so as to ensure high efficiency and high reliability of the lunar rover
assembly.
12.5.5 Mechanism Assembly
Mechanism and structure are all mechanical in spacecraft, with many of the same or
similar features. But there are significant differences between them. The function of
mechanism is to produce movement. In order to ensure the function of mechanism
movement, it is very important to ensure the accuracy of mechanism assembly and
verify the deployment and folding of mechanism. Generally, there are solar panel
mechanism and deployable antenna in conventional spacecraft. The typical mechanism in the Chang’E-3 lunar lander was the solar panel mechanism and landing gear
mechanism.
1. Solar Panel Assembly
12 Integration and Assembly Technology of Lunar Lander
There was a special deck with the lunar rover transfer mechanism on the Chang’E-3
lunar lander. Since the transfer mechanism was designed to ensure the deployment
of the lunar rover, it was strictly forbidden to touch during the assembly process. At
the same time, there were protrusions such as gas tanks around the structural deck.
Therefore, it was impossible for the operators or tilting carriage to lift. Through
the parallel design of the equipment and technological process, the lifting method
was applied to assemble the deck with the transfer mechanism. At the same time,
the hanging point and hanging mode of the module were verified in the phase of
structure assembly. At the end, in the process of system integration and assembly, the
assembly difficulty of the large size and large mass deck with the transfer mechanism
in compact space was solved.
3. Assembly of Lunar Rover
On the top deck of the Chang’E-3 lunar lander, there was the lunar rover. After
the lunar lander was landed on lunar surface, the lunar rover would be deployed by
the release and hold on mechanism and the transfer mechanism. The lunar rover
was connected with the lunar lander with a transition bracket. During the process
of separation, the moving path of the lunar rover was provided by the guide device,
lifting mechanism and the track in the release and hold on mechanism. Therefore,
the assembly of the transition bracket and the release and hold on mechanism were
the key of the assembly of the lunar rover. In the design of assembly process for
the lunar lander, the assembly simulation analysis of ergonomics of the transition
bracket based on virtual simulation technology was conducted. At last, a reasonable
technological process was designed, and a multi-degree of freedom attitude adjustment platform was developed to implement the docking operation of the lunar rover
with the lunar lander at certain height. In addition, special measuring tools were
developed to implement fine adjustment of the guide device of release and hold on
mechanism, so as to ensure high efficiency and high reliability of the lunar rover
assembly.
12.5.5 Mechanism Assembly
Mechanism and structure are all mechanical in spacecraft, with many of the same or
similar features. But there are significant differences between them. The function of
mechanism is to produce movement. In order to ensure the function of mechanism
movement, it is very important to ensure the accuracy of mechanism assembly and
verify the deployment and folding of mechanism. Generally, there are solar panel
mechanism and deployable antenna in conventional spacecraft. The typical mechanism in the Chang’E-3 lunar lander was the solar panel mechanism and landing gear
mechanism.
1. Solar Panel Assembly