Lunar Transporter

After analyzing the Apollo lunar landers and the Mars rover landers, I thought about an ultimate Lander design. In Apollo mission, the command module orbited approximately 100km above the lunar surface at a speed of 5760 km/h. The lunar module was a two-stage vehicle designed for space operations near and on the Moon. The spacecraft mass of 15103 kg was the total mass of the LM ascent and descent stages including propellants (fuel and oxidizer). The dry mass of the ascent stage was 2445 kg and it held 2376 kg of propellant. The descent stage dry mass (including stowed surface equipment) was 2034 kg and 8248 kg of propellant were onboard initially (Apollo 11 Lunar Module).

I propose a multipurpose design for a lunar transporter. Descent, ascent and rover all in one. This design would have a significant payload penalty. However some of it can be mitigated. In order to explore the craters of the moon properly the transporter should have legs and claws. The rocket engines would be attached to the legs like the jet packs attached on the arms of a human. The thrust vectoring of the engines will be achieved by the movement of the legs. The engines should have aerospikes instead of bulky vacuum optimized bell shaped nozzles. Due to lack of air, the transporter do not need an enclosure. The astronauts would sit with their suits on during ascent and descent (not shown in picture).

Independently adjustable engines attached on the flexible legs would allow the transporter to land on any terrain, including the slopy hills. Once the transporter lands, the empty tanks carrying the propellent for the descent can be removed to lower the weight of the transporter. The transporter would then be used as a legged rover to explore the moon. It would be powered by nuclear batteries instead of solar panels not to limit is operation. It would carry all the test equipment on board. Therefore, the tests can be conducted as the transporter travels.

When the mission is completed, the transporter would ascent to rendezvous with the command module to transfer the astronauts and the samples. Then, the transporter would descent back on the moon. Once landed, it would eject the remaining fuel tanks on board to minimize its overall weight. Afterwards, the transporter would keep exploring the moon as a remote controlled rover. With careful design, the payload penalty due to single stage design can be minimized.

As a result, unlike the classical lunar descent, ascent stages and lunar rover that are used once, the transporter would keep servicing for the humanity after it accomplishes its main objective and create minimum lunar debris.