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WHAT MAKES THE
SOUTH POLE SO HARD?
THE ENGINEERING BEHIND THE ARTEMIS LUNAR ROVERS
When NASA returns astronauts to
the Moon later this decade under
the Artemis programme, the choice
of landing site is far from random.
The lunar South Pole has become
the centre of attention because
of its potential reserves of water
ice, locked away in permanently
shadowed craters. This resource
could one day sustain long-term
exploration and even fuel future
missions. But the very features
that make the South Pole so
attractive also make it one of the
most demanding environments for
engineers to design for.
Extreme Temperatures
Unlike the more familiar equatorial
regions of the Moon, the South Pole
experiences relentless extremes.
Areas in permanent shadow can
plunge to minus 200 degrees Celsius,
while sunlit ridges can climb well
above boiling point. To put this
in perspective, Mars rovers like
Perseverance deal with temperature
swings of roughly 100°C - impressive
until you consider that lunar rovers
must handle twice that range while
cycling between extremes in minutes
rather than seasons.
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Any rover designed for Artemis must
survive, operate, and cycle between
these extremes without suffering
mechanical or electrical failure.
Engineers are developing advanced
thermal control systems, heavily
insulated batteries, and redundant
electronics to ensure survivability.
Lockheed Martin’s concept vehicle
uses phase-change materials and
heat pipes like those on spacecraft,
while General Motors’ design
incorporates automotive-grade
thermal management scaled up for
lunar conditions.
Harsh Terrain
The South Pole is littered with steep
crater walls, sharp rocks, and surfaces
that have never been compacted by
human activity. Unlike Mars, where
wind erosion has smoothed many
surfaces over millions of years, the
Moon’s airless environment preserves
every impact crater and razor-sharp
rock fragment. For a rover expected
to carry astronauts and scientific
payloads weighing up to 500
kilograms, stability and traction are
critical.
Designs under consideration integrate
lessons from terrestrial off-road
vehicles and planetary rovers, pairing
wide wheels or flexible tracks with
adaptive suspension. The goal is
to create a vehicle that can safely
navigate 15-degree slopes through
fine regolith and rugged terrain while
maintaining precision control. Current
prototypes feature wheels nearly
twice the diameter of those on Mars
rovers, distributing weight to prevent
sinking into loose material.
Energy and Endurance
Because of the long shadows and
limited sunlight angles at the South
Pole, traditional solar-powered
designs face severe constraints.
While equatorial rovers can rely on
predictable 14-day cycles of sunlight,
South Pole missions may encounter
weeks of continuous shadow.
Engineers are testing high-efficiency
solar arrays capable of capturing
oblique sunlight, battery packs using
advanced lithium-sulphur chemistries
that perform better in extreme cold,
and even radioisotope thermoelectric
generators for backup power.
The energy budget is punishing: each
rover must power not just propulsion
and computing, but also active
heating systems, communications
equipment, and life support backup
systems. Every component, from
drive motors to computing hardware,
must be optimised to use energy
sparingly while still offering reliability
across multi-day missions covering
distances of up to 20 kilometers.
Human-Centred Design: Beyond
Robotics
Unlike previous robotic rovers, the
Artemis Lunar Terrain Vehicle will
be crewed - a fundamental shift
that touches every aspect of design.
The cabin must accommodate two
astronauts wearing pressurised suits
that limit mobility and visibility,
requiring intuitive controls that
can be operated with bulky gloves.
The rover needs redundant life
support systems, emergency shelter
capabilities, and the ability to serve as
a mobile habitat for up to seven days.
