OrbiLux Moon heliostat

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OrbiLux is a rover-mounted heliostat for Moon operations, used to redirect sunlight towards shaded areas. It features automated development from a restricted volume, large and flat mirrors for efficient sun redirection, and a design targeted towards low weight, in particular for the mirror actuation and deployment. It is an entry to the NASA Lunar TORCH challenge.Detailed description of the design may be found in the activity report.It provides two hinged panels actuated by an Orbi-2s mechanism (parallel kinematics 2-DOF spherical wrist without any gimbal lock) with two mirrors on each totalizing 10m² of reflective area. Each panel is also equipped with a 6mil solar panel 0.5m² in surface. Mirrors are installed with internal tension due to a prestressed deploying mechanism, keeping it taut between the 4 fixing points which are at the end of bistable tubes, which gives it a crimp-less and flat shape. Sun sensors are installed on both panels; the mechanism is run based on feedback from those sensors giving directly azimuth and elevation data for each panel.The estimated weight of the mechanism is 34 kg. The panels themselves weigh 11.5kg each. This considers structural beams that have been estimated for supporting lunar gravity when deployed. The rover design is a rocker bogie design with tipping compensation, inspired by the MSL design. It has been designed with a general sturdy approach and weighs 115 kg, but it shows the basic principles required. It includes insulated boxes for batteries, electronics and motors, as well as communication devices and charging plugs or induction devices (detail of those devices has not been included in the CAD). All 6 wheels are steered and driven. Before deployment, it is packed within a footprint measuring 1.97 x 1.17 x 0.98 m.