Astrolab revealed the new rover that will help astronauts build the base in the moon's South Pole. The NASA Artemis mission is set to achieve what has never been done before, to construct a base beyond this planet. This effort is unprecedented and thought of as the first true human interplanetary expansion.
It is essential to move large payloads to build a base or habitat. This is one of the main challenges NASA faces. Other challenges include finding resources like water, oxygen and hydrogen for rocket fuels and extracting them. SpaceX will land astronauts on the moon using a reconditioned Starship. The mission is a perfect opportunity for the company to test its technology to build a city on Mars.
Astrolab, a space rover company formed by high-level NASA veterans and former SpaceX and Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) engineers, presented a fully operational new moon rover. The industrial-buggy style rover was built to construct NASA's Artemis South Pole moonbase. The company is well past the concept reveal. The rover called FLEX has already been thoroughly tested in the California desert, where moon rovers are tested.
What FLEX Can Do
Don't let the simple-looking design of the new moon rover FLEX confuse you. This rover can carry up to two astronauts, be remotely driven, and is designed to carry large payloads in tricky terrains thanks to its unique wheels and adaptive suspension. Before, rovers were built around what they would hold, but this rover has a modular payload. This means it can move anything that fits in its 3m³ stowage area, including crew tools, instruments, and sample containers.
Larger than an SUV, FLEX can drive at moderate-high speeds, smoothly absorbing impact. So during five days near the Death Valley in the desert of California, retired NASA astronaut Chris Hadfield put FLEX to the test. Hadfield drove it about, moved payload, and even set up a large solar unit, all while fully dressed in his astronaut suit.
Thanks to its robotic arm and science mast equipped with 3D stereo cameras, FLEX can do robotic science, survey and prepare sites. From logistics to transporting crew, construction and moving moon regolith for science and mining, the rover does it all. It is also equipped to align to pick up payloads and avoids dangerous obstacles autonomously. The construction of new NASA bases in the solar system is all about mobility, capacity and performance. This rover is a welcomed move in the right direction.
Source: Astrolab