‘Hyper-deformable’ wheels and high-performance batteries to aid new lunar rover in extreme polar environments

‘Hyper-deformable’ wheels and temperature-regulated batteries will aid a new lunar rover as it carries astronauts and supplies around the extreme environments of the lunar South Pole.

The Crewed Lunar Vehicle (CLV-1) for the upcoming Artemis campaign will be supplied by Californian company Venturi Astrolab, NASA announced yesterday (26 May), advancing the agency’s plans to establish sustained surface mobility in the inaccessible area.

Adapted from Astrolab’s Flex rover architecture, CLV-1 is designed primarily to transport astronauts and their supplies, while also being capable of conducting certain surface operations remotely. It will weigh roughly 900kg and have a top speed of more than 6mph (10km/h) on level terrain.

Venturi Space, a French strategic partner of Astrolab, will supply CLV-1 with three critical subsystems aimed at mobility, energy endurance and operational reliability:

• Created from materials invented and developed by Venturi Space, the hyper-deformable wheels are designed to withstand the extreme constraints of the lunar South Pole. Their architecture is intended to absorb surface irregularities, limit sinkage and maintain constant traction, even on severe slopes and at temperatures ranging from -240°C to 130°C.
• Designed and assembled to guarantee a safe and durable power supply in the most severe conditions, the high-performance batteries will use an architecture that protects the energy system, regulates its temperature and preserves the vehicle’s energy availability, including during periods of inactivity imposed by lunar nights, which can last up to 14 Earth days.
• The central intelligence of the power system, the battery management system will continuously monitor the state of the cells, ensuring their balancing and contributing to the safety, performance and availability of the entire system. It will play a central role in reliability during thermal cycles, driving phases and extended standby periods.

“Mobility is an essential condition for the sustainable exploration of the Moon,” said Dr Antonio Delfino, director of space affairs at Venturi Space. “The prospect of seeing a crewed lunar rover equipped with our technologies accompany NASA astronauts represents a key milestone in Venturi Space’s trajectory.”

NASA awarded Astrolab $219m to build and deliver the rover, which it plans to deploy on the Moon by 2028.

It also awarded $220m to Colorado firm Lunar Outpost for Pegasus, a lighter, mission‑ready evolution of its Eagle rover. Designed to operate for up to a year, the vehicle will be capable of manual, autonomous or teleoperated driving at speeds of more than 9mph (14km/h).

“Deploying multiple LTVs [lunar terrain vehicles] early in Moon Base development will accelerate technology demonstrations, inform site planning and reduce operational risk ahead of crewed Artemis missions, enabling NASA to characterise terrain hazards, move materials, pre-stage resources and mature systems needed for long-duration lunar exploration,” a NASA announcement said.

The Venturi Space technologies equipping the CLV-1 will also feature on Mona Luna, Venturi Space’s European lunar rover. That programme aims to support European ambitions in lunar exploration, with a first mission expected around 2030.

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