Objective To study mechanics characteristics of two cooperative reconfigurable planetary robots when they get across an obstacle, and to find out the relationship between the maximum height of a stair with the configuration of the two-robot, and to find some restrictions of kinematics for the cooperation. Methods Multirobot cooperation theory is used in the whole study process. Inverse kinematics of the robot is used to form a desired configuration in the cooperation process. Static equations are established to analyze the relations between the friction factor, the configuration of robots and the maximum height of a stair. Kinematics analysis is used to find the restrictions of the two collaborative robots in position, velocity and acceleration. Results 3D simulation shows that the two cooperative robots can climb up a stair under the condition of a certain height and a certain friction factor between robot wheel and the surface of the stair. Following the restrictions of kinematics, the climbing mission is fulfilled successfully and smoothly. Conclusion The maximum height of a stair, which the two cooperative robots can climb up, is involved in the configuration of robots, friction factor between the stair and the robots. The most strict restriction of the friction factor does not appear in the horizontal position. In any case, the maximum height is smaller than half of the distance between the centroid of robot1 with the centroid of robot2. However, the height can be higher than the radius of one robot wheel, which profit from the collaboration.