Inflatable rover?

Just a thought of the moment.

A while ago Robert Bigelow tried to get into business with NASA by the proposal to build a lunar habitat in one of the Lagrange Points and then landing it on the Moon.

Theoretically at least he might consider the Google Lunar XPRIZE an opportunity to show that he can land something on the Moon and use the opportunity to demonstrate the feasibility of inflatables for lunar purposes. He might do so because of the attention the new prize will get.

Bigelow's rover may be inflatable to keep it fitting into small rockets and may inflate just after landing.

This way it simply could be a subscaled version of Genesis on wheels.

What about this thought?



Dipl.-Volkswirt (bdvb) Augustin (Political Economist)

Hm I think far too heavy (and big) for the required task (roving a bit around, shooting a few photos). Why would you need volume for such a rover?

rovers aren't cylindrical and perhaps don't fit into the fairing of a rocket if not folded or deflatet.

The Apollo rover was compressed as www.astronautix.com expresses it - that rover I tend to call inflatabel. And it weighed 208 kg only. That rover was big.



Dipl.-Volkswirt (bdvb) Augustin (Political Economist)

Ok, yes.. but I would imagine a rover the size of a shoe box, so small enough for every rocket. The lander itself is just an attached tank with engine below.

There are more disadvantages in inflatable rovers: fir instance the added weight of inflation systems and regulation of temperature of the inflating fluid.