Elo2 reveals its first lunar rover prototype for Artemis mission

The program will grant $50 million to two firms Australian businesses and researchers, to develop and build a small rover. If chosen, the ELO2 rover will have the responsibility of transporting lunar regolith or soil to a designated facility to analyze and extract oxygen. 

Advanced proposition

ELO2, a consortium led by EPE Trusted to Protect and Lunar Outpost Oceania with 14 partners, will lead the design and construction of the Trailblazer rover, drawing on insights and knowledge gained from developing the Lunar Outpost MAPP Rover. The M1-MAPP lunar rover, specifically tailored for commercial Lunar Surface Mobility, stands out as a major platform for lunar surface operations, notably at the South Pole. 

According to 3dprint.com, the prototype relies heavily on innovative 3D printing techniques, particularly leveraging Titomic's expertise in metal additive manufacturing. Titomic, based in Brisbane and a key player in the ELO2 project, employs its groundbreaking Cold Spray process called Titomic’s Kinetic Fusion Additive Manufacturing.

This advanced method facilitates the creation of high-performance components and allows for on-demand coatings or repairs, making it well-suited for aerospace, automotive, defense, and mining applications, according to the publisher. 

ELO2 claims that the MAPP rover boasts impressive capabilities, covering over 2 kilometers with payloads, maintaining an average speed of 1.7 cm/s, and reaching a maximum speed of 10 cm/s. Lunar Outpost's proficiency with the MAPP rover brings a valuable level of feasibility and risk mitigation to the Trailblazer Program undertaken by the Australian Space Agency. This experience serves as a foundational guide for designing the new Australian rover. 

Furthermore, Lunar Outpost is concurrently engaged in a second mission, supported by NASA's PRISM program, targeting the equatorial Reiner Gamma lunar region in 2024. Completing Mission 2 before Trailblazer adds a layer of risk reduction, incorporating heritage, operational insights, and lessons learned, according to the ELO2 website. 

"MAPP’s flight heritage on NASA missions will also provide an abundance of opportunities to the ASA through this project," according to its website. 

Significant mission

The primary mission of the lunar rover will involve transporting lunar regolith to the ISRU (In-Situ Resource Utilization) facility situated on the Moon's surface. To accomplish this, the rover will conduct environmental surveys, identify and gather regolith, transport it to the specified delivery zone, and deposit it at the ISRU facility, according to Elo2. 

This process will continue until the required quantity of regolith is successfully delivered. Over time, the rover is anticipated to enhance its autonomy and acquire knowledge from its surroundings through repeated tasks.

Additionally, the rover is expected to perform other tasks that include "loading and unloading regolith, constructing regolith stores, conducting remote asset inspection, performing surface preparation, and carrying out end-of-life tasks," according to the Elo2 website. 

Aside from ELO2, the second consortium working on developing a similar prototype is Australian Remote Operations for Space and Earth (AROSE). During the inaugural phase of the program, each consortium was allocated $4 million for the development of its rover prototype.