Project LUNAR-TREK: Designing an Adaptive Multi-Point Articulated Propulsion Cane for Extravehicular Activity on Lunar Regolith

Extravehicular activity (EVA) on the lunar surface presents severe mobility challenges due to 1/6th gravity, the heavy mass of Life Support Systems (PLSS), and the unique geotechnical properties of lunar regolith. Current lunar trekking pole designs utilize legacy single-point contact mechanics, which suffer from a structural vulnerability: the pole sinks into deep, fluid-like regolith layers or slips during angled propulsion thrusts, increasing astronaut fall risks. To resolve this bottleneck, this paper proposes a novel hardware framework: the Quad-Point Articulated Snowshoe-Style Propulsion Cane (The Lunar-Trek Pole). By integrating a wide-surface "snowshoe" perimeter to prevent sinking with a 3D omnidirectional fluid-elastomer joint, the proposed cane ensures that all four contact facets maintain 100% surface friction against the angular, interlocking particles of lunar regolith, maximizing forward mechanical traction. This manuscript establishes the structural blueprint, physical mechanics, and architectural limitations of this design to catalyze future EVA tool development.