Thermal shelter for survival of rover during cryogenic lunar night

Abstract In this study, a simple unfolding thermal shelter (TS) is proposed as a countermeasure for the survival of a lunar rover during a fortnight-long cryogenic lunar night. The TS is designed as single- and double-cover structures made of Multi-Layer Insulation (MLI). Both the structures were found to have a significant thermal shielding capacity against Infra-Red (IR) emission, which was verified through a numerical analysis. The heat loss from the rover during the night reduced by a maximum of 22%; hence, it could survive during cryogenic nights. The TS will benefit future lunar rover missions considering its high reliability and low cost.