Developing Lightweight Rovers for Lunar Surface Exploration | Engineering Space | EP1
In this first episode of the Engineering Space documentary series, we cover Astrobotic, a space startup that aims to make space missions feasible and more affordable for science and commerce.
Their team is developing lightweight rovers for Moon exploration; modular vehicles designed to provide mobility for scientific instruments and other payloads to operate on the lunar surface.
In this episode, we’re getting an insight into Astrobotic’s facilities and the tests that Moon rover prototypes undertake. Furthermore, principal mechanical engineer Kerry Quinn and lead software Engineer Taylor Whitaker explain the challenges they face in aerospace engineering.
Kerry and Taylor show us mobility testing on the engineering model of their CubeRover. It's the first time the team is testing the rover with its MLI (Multilayer Insulation) and electronics package. These tests take place in Astrobotic’s lunar test pit, filled with regolith, a material that mimics the powdery material covering the moon’s surface.
Astrobotic will undertake multiple Moon missions delivering both Moon landers and Moon rovers, including the NASA Peregrine Mission 1 (TO2-AB) to Sinus Viscositatis with scientific and commercial payloads. Some of the research subjects of this mission are the thermal properties and hydrogen abundance of the lunar regolith.
The Engineering Space docuseries is a collaboration between the engineering community platform Wevolver, and two independent Californian filmmakers and producers; Flipbird Films and Green Run Productions. This first episode is sponsored by Duro, which develops Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software often used by space engineering companies.
New “Engineering Space” episodes will be released soon. Subscribe to our Youtube channel or sign up for the Wevolver Newsletter to get updates about new episodes.
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Read more in-depth about Astrobotic’s moon rover tests: www.wevolver.com/article/engineering-space-episode-1-developing-lightweight-rovers-for-lunar-surface-exploration
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