A series of support structure concepts for the lander

The lunar lander primary structure consists of a plate to which other components connect to, a frustum that connects to the launch vehicle, a cylindrical rover adapter, and additional structure to support the plate. The design space for this additional support structure was explored and modeled in CAD. The designs range from various configurations of struts to gusset plates to a radical, one-piece shell. Each design has its advantages and disadvantages with respect to mass, stiffness, and manufacturing.

One of the largest driving factors in screening designs is the first mode of vibration. The spacecraft’s natural frequency must be higher than the vibration frequencies of the launch vehicle by a margin in order to decouple the effect on the spacecraft. Modal analysis of the designs has begun and will inform the screening process.