Volvo MoonRay

In the near future mankind will colonize the moon to test new technologies aimed to make life on other planets possible for humans. One important point is how to build complex structures, such as bases and housings, in an efficient way.

From these perspective, I present the “Volvo MoonRay”, a multi-terrain construction rover that can sinter lunar sand to create solid buildings of any shape and dimension. The sand distribution system (in black) and the radiation emitter (in red) are placed on top of a rotating jib crane that can be bended and elongated; a tilting rotary parabolic concentrator collect the solar radiation and conveys it to the emitter through optical waveguides (red circuit). The rover is also equipped with a robotic arm to analyze the soil, a supplementary solar panel, antennae, external lights and a reservoir for lunar sand. Six motor wheels (four of them steering), connected to a suspension system, guarantee a good mobility on rough terrains.

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