Astronomy:CubeRover
.jpeg) Astrobotic's CubeRover | |
| Mission type | Technology demonstrator |
|---|---|
| Operator | Astrobotic Lab and Carnegie Mellon University |
| Website | www |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft | Iris[1][2] |
| Spacecraft type | Robotic lunar rover |
| Bus | CubeRover |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 8 January 2024 07:18:36 UTC |
| Rocket | Vulcan Centaur VC2S |
| Launch site | Cape Canaveral SLC-41 |
| Contractor | United Launch Alliance |
| Moon rover | |
| Landing date | 23 February 2024 (originally planned) |
| Landing site | Planned: Mons Gruithuisen Gamma |
| Transponders | |
| Band | Wi-Fi |
| Instruments | |
| Two cameras with 1936 × 1456 resolution | |
CubeRover is a class of planetary rover with a standardized modular format meant to accelerate the pace of space exploration. The idea is equivalent to that of the successful CubeSat format, with standardized off-the-shelf components and architecture to assemble small units that will be all compatible, modular, and inexpensive.[3]
The rover class concept is being developed by Astrobotic Technology in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University, and it is partly funded by NASA awards.[3] A Carnegie Mellon University initiative - completely independent of NASA awards - developed Iris, the first flightworthy CubeRover. It was launched on 8 January 2024 along with Peregrine Mission One.[4] Student engineers and researchers monitored and communicated with Iris rover in space via Carnegie Mellon Mission Control.[5] Surface operations phased out along with landing of Peregrine lander due to excessive propellant leak.[6][7]
Overview
Concept
The idea is to create a practical modular concept similar that used for CubeSats and apply it to rovers, effectively creating a new standardized architecture of small modular planetary rovers with compatible parts, systems, and even instruments so that each mission can be easily tailored to its objectives.[3][8][9] The rovers are expendable and do not use solar arrays for electrical power, depending solely on non-rechargeable batteries. This allows it to be lighter, have a larger cooling radiator panel for electronics, and have a simpler avionics design.[10]
The CubeRover program intends that standardizing small rover design with a common architecture will open access to planetary bodies for companies, governments, and universities around the world at a low cost, while increasing functionality, just as the CubeSat has in Earth orbit.[8] This would motivate other members of the space exploration community to develop new systems and instruments that are all compatible with the CubeRover's architecture.[3][8]
Development
In May 2017 Astrobotic Technology, in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University, were selected by NASA's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) to receive a $125,000 award[11] to develop a small lunar rover architecture capable of performing small-scale science and exploration on the Moon and other planetary surfaces. During Phase I, the team built a 2-kg rover and performed engineering studies to determine the architecture of a novel chassis, power, computing systems, software and navigation techniques.
In March 2018, the team was awarded funds to move on to Phase II,[3][8] and under this agreement, Astrobotic and CMU were to produce a flight-ready rover with a mass of approximately 2 kg (4.4 lb).
In future missions, CubeRovers may be designed to take advantage of lander-based systems to shelter for the cold lunar night, that lasts for 14 Earth days.[8] Similarly, future larger CubeRovers may be able to incorporate thermal insulation and systems qualified for ultra-low temperatures.[8]
Missions
On August 20, 2025 Astrobotic indicated LunaGrid-Lite, a planned lunar power demonstration mission, would be conducted using a CubeRover.[12] They intend to be ready for flight in 2026.
On June 11, 2025 YouTube creator and Author Matt Parker announced a kickstarter to Calculate PI on the Moon utilizing the extra computing space available on the CubeRover. The mission was fully funded within 2 hours of going live, with over 200% raised within the first 24 hours of going live. Final amount raised was 5.12X the initial goal, by over 4,800 individual backers. [13]
References
- ↑ "Iris Lunar Rover". Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute.
- ↑ Carnegie Mellon Unveils Lunar Rover "Iris". Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Campbell, Lloyd (18 March 2018). "Astrobotic wins NASA award to produce small lunar rover". Spaceflight Insider. https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/missions/commercial/astrobotic-wins-nasa-award-produce-small-lunar-rover/.
- ↑ Belam, Martin (2024-01-08). "Nasa Peregrine 1 launch: Vulcan Centaur rocket carrying Nasa moon lander lifts off in Florida – live updates" (in en-GB). the Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. https://www.theguardian.com/science/live/2024/jan/08/nasa-peregrine-1-launch-rocket-moon-latest-news-updates-live.
- ↑ Aupperlee, Aaron (1 Mar 2023). "Iris Rover Team Prepares for May Launch". Carnegie Mellon University. https://www.cmu.edu/news/stories/archives/2023/march/iris-rover-team-prepares-for-may-launch.
- ↑ Henninger, Michael (11 January 2024). "All Seven CMU Colleges Send Iris to Space". Carnegie Mellon University. https://www.cmu.edu/news/stories/archives/2024/january/all-seven-cmu-colleges-send-iris-to-space.
- ↑ Wattles, Jackie; Fisher, Kristin (2024-01-08). "Peregrine mission abandons moon landing attempt after suffering 'critical' fuel loss". CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/08/world/peregrine-lunar-lander-anomaly-astrobotic-nasa-scn/index.html.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 Leonard, David (16 March 2018). "This Tiny Private CubeRover Could Reach the Moon by 2020". https://www.space.com/40000-astrobotic-cuberover-moon-launch-2020.html.
- ↑ Jost, Kevin (8 May 2018). "Astrobotic to develop CubeRover standard for planetary surface mobility". Autonomous Vehicle Technology. https://www.autonomousvehicletech.com/articles/64-astrobotic-to-develop-cuberover-standard-for-planetary-surface-mobility.
- ↑ CubeRover – 2-kg Lunar Rover. Andrew Tallaksen's blog, lead systems engineer for CubeRover. 2018.
- ↑ Cuberover for Lunar Resource Site Evaluation. SBIR, US Government. Accessed on 8 December 2018.
- ↑ https://www.astrobotic.com/lunagrid-lite-completes-critical-design-review-flight-model-underway/
- ↑ "Moon Pi: we're going to calculate pi on the Moon" (in en). https://pi.space/.
External links
- CubeRover official web site
- Iris Lunar Rover official web site
- Astrobotic to Develop CubeRover Standard for Planetary Surface Mobility . Astrobotic Technology. Press release on 4 May 2017.
- CubeRover to Develop Next Generation Planetary Rovers in Luxembourg. Astrobotic Technology, press release on 27 September 2018.
- "Astrobotic's Cuberover Program Awarded $2 Million Contract By NASA". Astrobiotic. October 2, 2019. https://www.astrobotic.com/2019/10/2/astrobotic-s-cuberover-program-awarded-2-million-contract-by-nasa.
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