Lander cargo volume
Excavation and hauling rovers can occupy much of a lander’s cargo volume. Smaller vehicles are easier to pack, but may lack the size or mass needed for the work.
Source: NASA Lunar Surface Technology.
01 / Constructible robotics
Lunar rover assembly
PLAZAIC’s rover design uses a removable control core that can be sheltered during lunar night. A separate computer coordinates work across the fleet.
REGOLITH COLLECTION ROVER / CONCEPT STUDYPACKAGED
A packaged rover concept that assembles into a six-wheel regolith collector. The cargo box becomes its hopper and lid-mounted power deck, with an eight-segment excavation drum at the front.
Select a stage · Drag to rotate · Scroll to zoom · Illustrative concept, not a finalized vehicle design
The problem
What limits a lunar rover?
Lunar-night temperatures
Unlike a Martian night, a lunar night lasts roughly two Earth weeks. With almost no atmosphere to redistribute heat, exposed equipment cools far below the operating range of most batteries and electronics.
Sources: NASA Perseverance rover and NASA lunar-night rover research.
Thermal protection
Some lunar vehicles have survived multiple nights with dedicated thermal systems. The mass and power needed to keep components warm can make a single lunar day a more practical design target for other vehicles.
Source: NASA lunar-night rover research.