Aidan, similarly, selected materials his team was already working on: “We have 3D printed a composite material combining PLA – a popular plastic for 3D printing – with simulated lunar regolith. We also prepared one sample coated with melted lunar regolith, the theory being that this might work well as a surface coating to help deal with dust. Then we have a panel of composite fabrics, which might be considered for spacesuits in the future. We’re looking forward to seeing how they cope with lunar conditions in practice.”

The rover’s multi-needle Langmuir probe, extending from its body, is a MBRSC-integrated spin-off of an instrument due to be flown aboard the International Space Station soon, developed by a Norwegian team led by the University of Oslo and Eidsvoll Electronics with ESA backing.