RAPID
RAPID project
Collaborators
RAPID project
The RAPID platform was an interesting challenge. This rover needs to travel at speeds greater than any other planetary rover before it (approximately 1 m/sec) while navigating the lunar surface. It also has to
do so autonomously.
In this project HTR was tasked with creating and providing the locomotion system in its entirety in
addition to the rover platform itself. Integrating our patented wheels because of their robustness and
adaptability, we then proceeded to tackle the required capabilities of the rover platform.
By adding a suspension element to the platform, we were able to properly absorb the various terrain
difficulties and shocks caused by the speed of travel. Successfully creating this platform was a challenge,
but after many hours of testing in harsh conditions and multiple changes before the delivery of the rover,
we were more than happy with the results. We now provide platforms similar to the RAPID in other
projects, while the platform itself is still being used by our partners at ESA in other activities.