The Complete Set of Thermo-mechanical-Radiation Methods, Simulations and Results for a Swarm of Nanorovers Deployed on the Moon’s Surface (Lunar Zebro Mission)

Abstract

Lunar Zebro’s mission is heading the race for deploying the world’s smallest and lightest swarm of nanorovers on the surface of Moon. The concept validation of a single nanorover is of crucial importance, as it will be the launching pad for deploying a swarm of those nanorovers thereafter. Then, they will get connected in a network, acting as a single device and performing scientific missions analyzing data from remote points on the Moon’s surface. In the current study, the complete set of thermo-mechanical-radiation analyses for Lunar Zebro nanorovers are carried out. These range from the Ground Segment to the Moon environment, taking also into account the extreme mechanical and thermal environment at launch-transit conditions when the nanorover is attached to the lander. An innovative ray tracing method to evaluate the effect of the thermal environment on the Lunar Zebro nanorovers is explained in this paper. Material choices, structural design, and mechanical/thermal strategies for the nanorover to overcome the launch, space and Moon’s conditions are shown. The different analyses methods used, expected loads and results obtained should serve as a baseline for evaluating the behaviour of other small devices attached to a lander when aiming for any space mission. More specifically, for those aiming to go to the Moon, the environmental and mechanical expectations here can also be implemented. The ultimate outcome of the paper is the environmental survivability assurance from an analytical perspective of these nanorovers when being sent to the Moon. The validation of the survivability of a single nanorover will be a breakthrough in the space swarm robotics’ field, resulting in the successful performance of the lightest swarm of nanorovers ever deployed on the Moon’s surface.