Our lunar rover concept involves a rocket engine-propelled Lunar Rocket Car -- “LuRoCa 1” -- which will be powered by solid fuel, liquid fuel or compressed gas. We are confident that we can meet the Google Lunar X Prize requirements by traveling 500 meters on the lunar surface. “LuRoCa 1” will be equipped with a redundant ignition system activated both by remote control, and by a backup timer circuit. LuRoCa 1 will ride on wheels, and not on tracks due to the very soft surface and extremely abrasive dust particles encountered on the Moon's surface. The design of LuRoCa 1 is based upon operational simplicity, reliability in a demanding lunar environment, and cost-effectiveness.

Concept: M. Bindhammer. Graphic image: Shi Xiaojun

Updated LuRoCa construction. The new design is capable of skidding over 500 m on a relatively flat lunar surface area -- breaking the lunar surface speed record in the process -- and / or covering a distance in excess of 5 km configured as a surface to surface missile in order to win the Range Bonus Prize.

Concept: M. Bindhammer. Graphic image: Shi Xiaojun