Parametric Carrier Sizing for Pressurized Rover Resupply Operations

The Artemis program aims to establish a lunar base near the south pole of the Moon, with plans that potentially include a surface habitat and other surface elements, such as a pressurized rover. To ensure continuous operation, these elements require regular cargo resupply that includes consumables necessary for mission success that are not installed as part of the vehicle. Resupply cargo will be delivered via specialized logistic carrier modules, whose design can benefit greatly from understanding the impact of high-level design alternatives. This study introduces a parametric framework for sizing logistic carrier modules, with emphasis on the impact of these high-level design choices. The framework outlines structural sizing requirements to accommodate resupply consumables, along with the thermal and power subsystems needed to maintain temperature stability and supply power during independent carrier operation. Trade-offs between larger, integrated carriers, capable of resupplying both the habitat and a pressurized rover, and smaller specialized carriers for pressurized rover resupply are evaluated. The framework’s capabilities are then demonstrated through sensitivity analysis and design space exploration for a use case mission.