This invention is a series of lander designs which are intended for lunar exploration which would allow CubeSats to expand into being planetary surface explorers. The series of designs transforms a CubeSat into a lander with four legs to optimize space exploration. The four landing legs, each with a foot structure and connected via rotational supports and allow for degrees of freedom for a soft landing. The design and configuration on the legs was developed through trials of structural analysis which determined the occurrences in worst case scenarios. The innovation also has a decreased weight and volume compared to other products within the market.
Background: Exploration of the Earth’s moon has the potential to unlock a multitude of answers that are being asked. For example, Earth’s moon can allow scientists to understand the history of Earth and other rocky planets. There has been an increase in the amount of orbital missions around the moon, but they do not offer the insights and added research capability of lunar landing missions. The scientific community has reached a consensus that landed lunar missions are the most effective way forward. Although lunar landing missions offer many upsides, they also have drawbacks including the amount of time necessary to plan and develop the missions, as well as the costs associated with such missions. This is where CubeSats can enter the market and decrease the costs associated with the missions and increase the capabilities of the missions.
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