NASAPress Releases
Beep beep – CubeRover drives at NASA KSC!
CubeRover delivered to NASA Kennedy Space Center We recently visited NASA Kennedy Space Center’s Swamp Works to deliver CubeRover hardware. Developed under a NASA SBIR Phase II Extension contract, this delivery marks the culmination of a multiyear contract that funded the development of CubeRover from inception. At NASA KSC, the team drove CubeRover in a large lab simulating the harsh, abrasive nature of the Moon’s dusty surface. Notice the rover’s lean body, used to achieve a low mass to simulate lunar gravity. CubeRover’s Tipping Point contract is set to conclude in Q4 of 2022. Next, CubeRover is slated to enter a Tech Readiness Level, or TRL, of 7 after final testing in a “dirty” thermal vacuum chamber. |
Jay and Chris conduct more CubeRover testing on rocky terrain |
CubeRover operates along a path of packed lunar regolith simulant |
Surviving the Lunar Night |
During testing, the lightweight, ultra-fast wireless charging system proved it can transmit power in extreme hot and cold lunar temperatures. When on the lunar surface, the wireless system would deliver power from an Astrobotic lunar lander or Vertical Solar Array Technology (VSAT) to power rovers, habitats, in-situ resource utilization plants, and other large surface infrastructure to survive the lunar night…Read More |
About Astrobotic Astrobotic is the Moon company and more. We develop advanced navigation, operation, and computing systems for spacecraft, and our fleet of lunar landers and rovers deliver payloads to the Moon for companies, governments, universities, non-profits, and individuals. To date, we have two fully funded lunar lander missions on the books, more than 60 prior and ongoing NASA and commercial technology contracts worth upwards of $350 million, and a corporate sponsorship with DHL. Astrobotic was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA. |