The lunar south pole presents extreme terrain and environmental challenges, including low illumination, abrasive dust, steep slopes, and deep shadowed regions. These conditions limit the ability of conventional rovers to reach scientifically important sites. This paper presents the research based conceptual and unique design of a mother–daughter rover system developed for reliable mobility, autonomous navigation and multi-stage sample collection in this environment. The mother rover provides the primary mobility platform, power system, and subsurface drilling capability, while the daughter rover accesses hazardous or confined areas for surface sampling. Dust-resistant wheels, a hybrid solar–battery power architecture, and thermal protection systems support continued operation under south-pole conditions. The perception suite integrates cameras, environmental sensors, and motion estimation to support terrain mapping and hazard avoidance. A complete workflow for subsurface drilling, surface sample retrieval, transfer, and insulated storage is also demonstrated. System limitations and opportunities for future improvement are highlighted based on component level and energy budget analysis.
Senior Design Project / FYP Competition
Conceptual System Design of a Mother–Daughter Lunar Rover for South-Polar Exploration: Dust-Resilient Mobility, Uneven Terrain Navigation, and Multi-Stage Sample Collection
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