Nasa reveals design of moon lander to return astronauts there by 2024
NASA has designed a moon lander to return astronauts there by 2024.
The American space agency said it would deliver a 300kg rover to explore polar regions.
Nasa wants a sustainable human presence on the moon by 2028 to boost science discoveries and build a lunar economy with the help of private firms.
No one has walked on the moon since 1972 — three years after the first landing.
Nasa said: “This lander was designed with simplicity in mind to deliver a 300 kilogram rover to a lunar pole,” said Logan Kennedy, the project’s lead systems engineer.
“We used single string systems, minimal mechanisms and existing technology to reduce complexity, though advancements in precision landing were planned to avoid hazards and to benefit rover operations.
“We keep the rover alive through transit and landing so it can go do its job.
“As robotic lunar landers grow to accommodate larger payloads, simple but high-performing landers with a contiguous payload volume will be needed.
“This concept was developed by a diverse team of people over many years and meets that need.
“We hope that other lander designers can benefit from our work.”
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