Far Above Far Beyond

FAR ABOVE FAR BEYOND MFA TRANSPORTATION DESIGN UMEÅ INSTITUTE OF DESIGN DOMINIK KRUG UMEÅ UNIVERSITY - 2017

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

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During this project I stayed in regular contact to my mentors at Land Rover, who guided me throughout the design process and provided me with important feedback. Their views helped me to progress, take decisions and push me out of my comfort zone. Through their aid I am also able to build and show a design model. A special thank you to the guys involved at Land Rover: Aymeric Chertier, Martin Pohanka, Mark Butler, Sean Johnson and Tino Segui.

The tutoring and reviews at UID helped me focus on the important parts and the positive reactions after my presentations kept me motivated. I want to especially thank Jonas Sandstrรถm and Demian Horst for the review and tutoring sessions, and also that they let me be a student at UID.

Furthermore, I want to say thank you to my fellow students for their inspiration, critique, patience and company.

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TABLE OF CONTENT

Table of content

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Abstract

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Introduction

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Process

Research and References

Nasa‘s Journey to Mars

Google lunar Xprize SpaceX Mars

The people on Mars

Mars Stations

ISRU (In Situ Ressource Utilization)

Space based Solar Power

Mixed Reality

Land Rover

Design Opportunities and Goals and Wishes

Creative Development Exterior Interior

9 11 13 14 15 17 18 19 20 21 23 25 27 35

Results

Final Design Exterior Thrusters

Offroad system RPHW

RPHW + Mixed Reality

Interior + Functions Bathroom Suitport

Mobile HQ

Design Model

Reflections and Conclusions References

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43 45 47 49 51 53 55 57 59 61 63 65

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ABSTRACT

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The intention of this project is to give a vision of what a Land Rover Mars Exploration Vehicle could look like, which tasks it would have to perform and also which technologies and features it would need to accomplish the task of exploring a place far away from our homeplanet and civilisation.

In the 2030s the first manned missions to Mars are planned. The first arrivers will have exploration vehicles, that are limited in range and capability.

To really explore the planet, vehicles with greater off-road capability and range will be needed in following missions to the red planet. The vehicles also need to allow the crew to stay in the vehicle for long journeys comfortably and offer extended life support.

The conditions on Mars guided me throughout the design process.

Extremely cold temperatures don‘t allow for the use of many materials.

The lack of oxygen and a low atmospheric pressure needed to be considered for the ingress and egress into and out of the vehicle.

The absence of a developed infrastructure and the terrain conditions needed to be addressed through an extreme off-road system and vehicle features.

The vehicles features offer answers to face the harsh conditions on Mars and also to enable a new enhanced driving experience through the use of mixed reality applications.

It was important to incorporate the brands values and it‘s heritage, while also interpeting design cues in a new way and to explore a future design language for Land Rover.

During the design process I used traditional 2D sketch and 3D modelling methods combined with virtual reality for testing and refining. This method proved very efficient and helpful, especially in the verification and testing of ergonomics and the perception of space inside the vehicle.

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INTRODUCTION

We certainly live in very interesting times. Political, social and religious shifts and tensions, decentralisation of finance and government, technological innovations, breakthroughs in medicine and many more things cover headlines on almost a daily basis and affect our lives in a multitude of ways. Often times we read the news and an ever faster, more connected, automated and advanced world view emerges. Other times senseless violence, an increasing division between rich and poor, poluted and destroyed nature, social isolation and separation draw a dark picture and low hopes for humanity.

Some developments seem far away and not relatable to the average person, but are in fact changing all our lives. With all the technology available to us, history to learn from and the assumption to live in a modern, enlightened time, very few things actually unite all of us.

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In recent years the topic of space exploration had a revival and massive advancements from nowadays private organisations and companies bring the prospect to dream big. Shooting a rocket up in the sky and beyond is a costly endeavor, a highly complicated one aswell and certainly makes you wonder if we don‘t have enough challenges to face right here on Earth.

However, there is no American, Russian, Japanese, Chinese, German or whichever nation‘s space station. There is only the International Space Station.

A collaborative effort and bright example of union of many nations, which are oftentimes competing, provoking and failing to come together for seemingly simpler tasks on our home planet.

The last space time inspired and motivated the generation of engineers and scientists that developed our modern day amenities.

It is important to set our goals high.

Humanity needs something aspirational to work towards and to dream big.

Dreaming big is often times dismissed as naive, a waste of time and ressources or plainly just too good to be true.

Dreaming big is though exactly what we, as one species of many people, need.

A big dream, that is in fact becoming reality, is our journey to Mars.

Huge financial efforts, countless hours of work, research and development of many individuals, companies and nations, exceptional bravery of the pioneers going there and one shared vision make this one of, if not the greatest dream humanity ever had.

It is a dream uniting us and letting us look into the future with wonder and awe. Humanity is about to become a multi planetary species and Mars is our first step to even greater travels.

BIG DREAMS

Like the ISS, going to Mars can not be achieved by one company or nation. It requires many with one shared vision and the bravery to think beyond personal gains and short term profits. The vision beeing a self sustaining colony on the red planet. A planet far away and hostile to life as we know it. However, a planet with a huge amount of frozen water, a high concentration of carbon dioxyde and other ressources we can use and transform to enable life. The plan is to explore, research, experiment on and in the long run terraform the planet. Many things, including insight about ourselfs and even the origin of life could potentially be learned from this.

Sharing this vision and taking part in it‘s realisation can lead to many contributions of all sorts of nature.

Land Rover is a car brand known for building highly capable off-road go anywhere, do anything vehicles.

They have their origin in a vehicle developed for agricultural use.

Exploring unconquered terrain is what earned the brand high admiration and desirability and runs deep in it‘s roots.

Furthermore, potentially taking part in the terraforming process of Mars would be a philosophical link back to the very first of it‘s kind.

Nowadays the brand and it‘s vehicles stand for certain types of lifestyles. On one side of the spectrum you can find comfort, elevation and luxury, while still beeing able to tackle the most difficult terrain. Hard core offroading and the possibility to go anywhere on the other end represent a type of exploratory and adventurous lifestyle.

Adventurous explorers will also be the ones attracted to an expedition to the red planet. Their individual financial support could contribute to make the travels to Mars financially sustainable for the companies organising the hardware to go.

With the Tata Group as a ressourceful and diversified parent corporation Land Rover has the necessary ressources and knowledge to realise a vehicle able to face the most difficult terrain and conditions. A vehicle able to conquer Mars. Advanced technology and manufacturing would be required, which would eventually find it‘s way into future earth bound derivatives and the existing pillar vehicles. This contribution would lead not only to great publicity and interest in the brand and it‘s vehicles, but also inspire others.

A vehicle of such nature would be the ultimate expression of what the brand stands for: Going where no other vehicle can go. In addition, it would combine the stand-out attributes of each brand pillar vehicle: tough and robust as a Defender, modular and versatile as a Discovery, comfortable and technologically advanced as a Range Rover and highly specialised as a SVO vehicle.

It would be the ultimate halo-car for Land Rover.

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RESEARCH AND REFERENCES

Nasa is currently undertaking preparations for their journey to Mars. They plan to send the first people there by 2030.

Nasa already sent orbiters, landers and rovers on many missions. Currently, during the earth reliant phase, these unmanned missions pave the way for future human travels. Research conducted aboard the ISS, to obtain insight about long term space inhabitation and it‘s effects on the human body are beeing undertaken at the moment.

They are also testing the effects of lower gravity, like on Mars, on technology they want to use on the planet, like 3D printing methods and the involved materials.

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The proving grounds phase will include various missions to the moon and beyond. Capabilities and equipment will be tested for a manned Mars mission.

Finally, the Earth Independent phase will build on what was learned on the space station and in deep space to send humans to low-Mars orbit in the early 2030s.

The first of these missions is set to begin in November 2018 with the launch of NASA‘s new Space Launch System. The Exploration mission One will first launch an unmanned and then later a manned spacecraft on a weeklong journey farther away than any humand has travelled before.

This phase will also test the entry, descent and landing techniques needed to get to the Martian surface and study what‘s needed for in-situ resource utilization. Nasa is already studying potential „Exploration Zones“ on Mars that would offer compelling science research and provide resources the astronauts can use.

Other parts of proving grounds include a year long space inhabitation program and a mission to bring samples from an asteroid back to earth. During this test mission various mission elements and technolgies will be tested, such as solar electric propulsion.

Science missions are already in the Independent phase, with the next rover due in 2020. There will also be a robotic demonstration mission with sample collection and return in the late 2020s.

NASA‘S JOURNEY TO MARS

Nasa could have gone to Mars a long time ago already. George Bush senior created another space initiative and wanted to see plans for further space exploration. Nasa came up with an immensely expensive 30 year plan, the 90-Day report. This plan included moon bases, the ISS as a spaceport and a massive spacecraft, assembled in space, for the actual mission to Mars. Vast amounts of money and effort would have been necessary to spend only to bring a human to Mars, put a flag in the ground and then return. It would have costed 450 billion dollars. The American congress refused the funding.

Robert Zubrin then developed the Mars Direct plan at Lockheed Martin with David Baker and a team including 12 members. A plan bypassing most of Nasa’s initial planning and focussing on the bare necessities. The most simple and direct way to bring humans to Mars.

The plan included a year and a half long stay for research and exploration of the planet. The spacecraft would be launched from earth directly. The crew would then arrive on Mars after six months.

After a year and a half long stay, the crew would return during another six months.

The plan also included in situ resource utilisation. Zubrin wanted to produce methane-oxygen rocket fuel directly on Mars using resources from the martian atmosphere.

This would lower the weight and size of the rocket needed to travel there.

Bringing a relatively small amount of hydrogen from earth the rocket propellants could be produced locally on Mars. Oxygen could also be produced using another process and also involving the CO2 rich atmosphere on Mars.

To allow for enough time to produce this fuel an unmanned mission would be launched before the actual human mission.

By doing, so the crew would find a fully fueled spacecraft upon their arrival. They would stay on Mars for more than 500 days. They would explore the surface and the sediments. They would search for present and past life.

Baker and Zubrin presented their plan to all branches of Nasa around the country.

Nasa’s administration rejected Zubrin’s plan because it cutted out a lot of other programs and rendered them obsolete or unnecessary. Zubrin then advertised for his plan around the world, but was not able to progress with it. In 1992 the administration at Nasa changed and revised Zubrin’s plan. They required him to prove that his plan, to produce rocket propellant on Mars, works. After building a successful prototype his plans came back to attention.

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RESEARCH AND REFERENCES

Nasa objected to many details of the Mars Direct mission. Together they revised the plan and developed alternatives and compromises. It was then called the Designed Reference Mission. The cost analysis estimated 55 billion dollars and could have been done within 10 years. Because of a lack of political support, the plans never really caught wind. Zubrin later published his A Case for Mars book and received great public support from all around the world.

Followers and supporters then created The Mars society with the goal to make this dream a reality. They have build research stations all around the world since then. They experiment on the isolated conditions and tasks that await future Mars colonizers. They also test on equipment and processes such as recycling their drinking water.

Dangers of a long stay in space come mainly from two kinds of radiation.

One is caused by sun flares. In a spacecraft, humans could be shielded from them by a big water tank surrounding them. The other kind are cosmic rays. A constant influence from outer space, humans can not shield themselves from without meter thick heavy shielding, unrealistic for a spacecraft. The magnitude of that dose is arguably low though. It would increase the statistical risk of getting cancer at some point later in life by a small amount.

A main task of the Mars explorers will be to search for ancient life. They will do so by analyzing the ancient waterfalls and places where water is confirmed to be present today or in the past.

A crew would travel in a pressurised and comfortable rover. They would explore a vast area around their impact site.

If these explorers can find traces of indigenous life, it would redefine our understanding of our place in the universe. If life developed so closely to our own homeworld, it could lead to the assumption that the universe is a place rich of life.

Another big question for many is whether Mars will become a second home to humanity and a new branch of civilisation. With each Mars mission a bigger area will be explored and eventually a good place for a permanent base will be found. Cave Systems can protect humans from space radiation.

Volcanic activity can provide warmth and power. Frozen water is already confirmed in many places. Such a place or places would then be targeted by many future missions to Mars. This mainly scientific community would then need to become self sustaining utilising only local resources and producing their own food.

Mars has 58 different types of topography and as much surface area as the Earth’s landmass.

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NASA‘S JOURNEY TO MARS

Mars has all the necessary resources and elements required for human survival and building materials such as plastics, metals and glass. Mars’s almost 24 hour day cycle would also be easily adaptable for humans and beneficial for the growth of plants. With more and more missions, more and more people would inhabit Mars. Eventually not only scientists but also explorers and settlers. They will have the possibility to start their lives over and create a new track for humanity. A colony on Mars would eventually have to govern itself. Such a society formed from an intellectually rich and technologically advanced background of people might lead to new systems of government and could be a role model for future transformations that could benefit our lives on earth. The ultimate goal of the future martians will be to terraform Mars. A goal that might not be as unrealistic as it first sounds. Once enough settlements with significant industrial capability exist, a terraforming process can be induced. Mars was once a warm and wet place, now it is a dead planet. We can bring it back to life.

The first step would be to warm up the planet and we already know how to do that. By releasing gases into the atmosphere, it will become denser and trap more photons. This would lead to an increase in temperature. Eventually frozen patches of Co2 and Water will evaporate naturally and increase the effect. Another contribution would be small automated factories producing greenhouse gases. Albeit unwelcome on earth, these gases would be an efficient way to trap heat. This process would require several decades at least but after a time the atmosphere would become thick enough and the planet would stay warm naturally.

The rise in air pressure would also mean that the settlers could expose themselves to the outside without pressure suits. They would still require breathing equipment though because of the lack of oxygen in the atmosphere.

As the temperature rises water will begin to melt down and become liquid. Seas will rise, rivers will form and rainclouds would bring water inland. At this point we will be able to witness whether indigenous life will develop naturally on Mars, proving existence of life beyond our home. Should no life emerge we could introduce earth’s plants into martian soil. It would be an ideal conditions for those plants to thrive and eventually they would spread all over the surface of Mars, producing more and more oxygen required for human life.

This process would be painfully slow and could take thousand of years.

But looking back at the history of technological progress and imagining the achievable first steps of a human Mars colonization, one can only wonder about our future progress and the technology helping to bring us there.

Artist‘s depiction of a terraforming process on Mars

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RESEARCH AND REFERENCES

The $30M Google Lunar XPRIZE is an unprecedented competition to challenge and inspire engineers, entrepreneurs and innovators from around the world to develop low-cost methods of robotic space exploration.

To win the Google Lunar XPRIZE, a privately funded team must be the first to: Succefully land a spacecraft on the moon Travel at least 500 meters Transmit high definition images and video back to earth

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GOOGLE LUNAR XPRIZE

AUDI Moon Rover 2017: Audi is taking part in the XPrize challenge.

They sponsor the Part Time Scientists Team in Berlin. „Es geht uns um hohe Ingenieurskunst, nicht um das Preisgeld.“ --> It‘s about the art of engineering for us, not about the prize money Taking part in this challenge is a really clever way to create brand awareness and to advertise their quattro technology.

SPACE X

„SpaceX designs, manufactures and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft. The company was founded in 2002 to revolutionize space technology, with the ultimate goal of enabling people to live on other planets.“ SpaceX about themselves The company was founded by Elon Musk, who also founded Zip2, PayPal and Tesla. As CEO, his goal is to make humanity a multi planetary species.

The company is currently working on the construction of the biggest rocket ever conceived, able to transport 100 people at a time. To reduce the costs of space launches they develop reusable rockets.

Musk stated, that a ticket to Mars and back could become attainable for 100.000 Dollars in the future.

A lot of their financial income is generated through a billion dollar transport contract to the ISS for Nasa.

SpaceX plans to send the first unmanned missions to Mars as early as 2018 and the first manned ones 2022-24.

During a presenation Musk said by the year 2060 a million people could live on Mars.

His and the companies goals are certainly set high and are very ambitious.

If they succeed, especially in the short time period, has to be shown.

The progress at which they are advancing and the finally successful landings of their rockets promise a bright future and success.

First succesful landing of a Falcon 9 rocket 21.12.2015

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RESEARCH AND REFERENCES

Plans to make Mars a second home to humanity are in full progress: NASA: Aiming to send people to Mars by 2030 SpaceX: 2018 Red Dragon test mission 2020 two more missions 2022-24 first people to Mars Boeing: “The first people to step on mars will arrive on a Boeing rocket.�

Mars One: 2022: Launch of a Rover Mission 2024: Cargo Missions 2025: Outpost in place 2026: Departure of first Crew Other agencies also support with unmanned missions: ESA: 2016: Exomars 1 2020s: Exomars 2 Indian Space Research Organisation: 2013: Space Orbiter Mission The question is when will it happen, not if it will happen.

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MARS

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RESEARCH AND REFERENCES

In the timeframe between 2030 to 2040 outposts on Mars will be established.

Annual space flights between Earth and Mars occur and there will be a regular turnaround of people visiting and working on Mars.

The first people on Mars will be scientists and researchers, as well as a few adventurous wealthy individuals.

The bigger the colony becomes, the more diverse the staff has to become as well. Eventually, the roles of the people living on Mars will be as diverse as on Earth. On the long run the goal is to terraform Mars and to make it a second home for mankind.

A great variety of tasks await the first settlers. They will explore for ressources, potential future base locations, volcanic activity and traces of indigenous life.

Scientific experiments of elements, the effects of low gravity on humans and on plant life will be conducted.

But the people going there will also need to establish an infrastructure, build their bases, grow their food and recylce their waste.

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THE PEOPLE ON MARS

MARS STATIONS

A lot of planning is happening concerning potential bases on Mars.

Nasa held a competition in which 3D printing methods were involved to locally construct a home for the first arrivers.

An important factor for the designs was shielding the inhabitants from cosmic and solar radiation.

The winning proposal uses water vapor 3D printing to create an ice volume.

Not only do the thick layers of ice provide radiation shielding, but they also let through light. An important psychological factor for the humans living there.

Alternatives like building stations underground or in caves offer shielding but are not aspirational to live inside permanently.

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IN SITU RESSOURCE UTILIZATION

RESEARCH AND REFERENCES

In Situ Ressource Utilisation means to use local ressources to produce important enablers such as oxygen, building materials or rocket propellant. On a Mars mission this would eliminate the need to carry unnecessary fuel, contruction materials or oxygen on board the rocket.

This will greatly reduce the weight and cost of the transport flights.

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The Mars Oxygen ISRU Experiment or MOXIE uses the carbon dioxyde in the martian atmosphere to produce oxygen.

First prototypes are already working.

The next step will be to send a MOXIE to Mars to test in real conditions.

The system was designed to be scalable from the beginning. A bigger version is supposed to be sent before the first human mission.

ISRU-systems will enable the astronauts to produce the fuel for their return flights and the rovers, life enabling oxygen, as well as building materials for their bases and even for technical systems like solar cells.

SPACE BASED SOLAR POWER

Space based Solar Power describes the concept to collect sunlight in space and then send it back to Earth with microwaves or a laser.

The great benefit of using such a system compared to planetary solar solutions is a much higher efficiency. Because the satelite could always be exposed to the sun and the lack of an atmosphere in space the absorbation of energy can be much higher than on a planet.

Using SBSP on a mission to Mars would bring the massive benefit of sending energie to any place on the planetary surface.

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RESEARCH AND REFERENCES

Todays virtual reality technologies give us a glimpse into the future.

A progression and the advancements of this technology are easily imaginable.

They will get better resolutions, become lighter, smaller and wireless. The basic principals are already in place and work well though. The tracking is precise and the interaction with the virtual world can be intuitive and engaging, as demonstrated by severall applications.

Even though the technology is still in it‘s infancy, it‘s promising and usefull already.

Another type of technology, called mixed reality, shares a few principals of movement and tracking with virtual reality. Where they differ though, is that mixed reality integrates virtual objects into the real world around the wearer. By using mixed reality, the virtual and real world merge.

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One of the most promising companies on the horizon is Magic Leap.

Their technology lets virtual objects appear in the wearers vision and relates and interactcs them to the surroundings and the real objects around. According to the people testing early prototypes the virtual projections were crystal clear and appeared to be life like without any of the nowadays often experienced pixelation in devices using traditional screens.

The device scans the wearers surroundings and then uses this information to let virtual objects appear integrated into the scene. Because the hands of the user are also tracked, an interaction with the objects is possible.

MIXED REALITY

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LAND ROVER TODAY AND MY LR EXPERIENCE

RESEARCH AND REFERENCES

Land Rover products today attract a diverse group of customers.

The Defender was aimed at an utilitarian audience, but also gained desirability as a life style choice. On the other end Range Rovers stand for travelling in luxury and comfort while still beeing able to reach the most remote places and to handle the most challenging terrains.

The Discovery vehicles are versatile and offer modularity. They combine off-road capability with everyday usability for a reasonable price.

I had the chance to test the abilities of a Discovery 4 in harsh conditions on a Land Rover Experience at one of their sites.

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Conclusion: For me it was very impressive how the car interacted with the terrain. It felt like the car always knew what it had to do and how to deal with the path I was going on.

The interaction with the car...

I could see the wade depth, when going through water.

I could see the wheel articulation, when climbing rocks.

I could sense the dimensions of the car through the cameras, when tackling narrow corridors

But it was not seamless, I had to stop to go through the menus, when I wanted to change settings.

Also, I could not have multiple features activated at the same time.

The menu navigation was a bit slow.

The screen position forced me to take my eyes off of my driving path.

The technology they use to enable a comfortable and easy passage over the roughest of terrains is fantastic, how it interacts with the driver could and should be improved though.

LAND ROVER TOMORROW

Land Rover has shown what they want to implement in their future vehicles. One example is using a HUD to overlay the terrain directly in front of the vehicle, which would normally not be viewable for the driver, onto the bonnet of the car.

HUD Sytems require a huge area on the dashboard to cover only small areas of the windscreen though.

By utilising mixed reality much more could be achieved.

If wanted, almost the complete vehicle could be rendered see through by using cameras and scanners positioned outside the vehicle to create an accurate representation of the surroundings.

3D scanning of the environment, remote analysis, guided repair and assembly instructions directly at the point of interest, 3D interfaces and navigation, virtual buttons positioned anywhere, are some of the possible applications this technology could enable in a transportation related scenario.

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DESIGN OPPORTUNITIES

The base stations on Mars will be spread far apart. The capability of travelling far distances, to connect the outposts and to explore the surface of Mars, will be required. There will be a necessity for extreme off-road capability and the ability to handle different surfaces and terrains, consisting of sand dunes, craters, rocky areas and mountains.

The transportation of research equipment, samples, food and people will be the tasks of the vehicle.

In addition, the vehicle might be used in the construction of bases and structures. Life support systems and a pressurised cabin will be needed to face the harsh and hostile conditions of Mars.

The high cost of launching rockets requires the components, that will be send, to be small and light. Potentially producing components and parts on Mars with local ressources could help to reduce the size and weight of the package, that has to be send by a rocket.

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Designing an expedition vehicle for Mars, utilising the most advanced technologies, brings the possibility to rethink the package and the necessary features for an ideal off-road vehicle and to make it go anywhere.

Unique solutions and innovations will be required to enable the exploration of Mars and the transportation of humans and their life support and equipment.

The use of mixed reality implementation allows to rethink the exterior, the interior and the interaction with the vehicle, inside and outside of it.

Finding good solutions to implement and use this technology can and will transform the experience in a vehicle.

As this technology is emerging and possibly transforming all future computing, it is important to explore the capabilities and the usefullness of such features and how they can support drivers and passengers in the future.

My goal is to create a futuristic, yet believable proposal for an off road vehicle capable of handling the tasks required on Mars.

The vehicle, it‘s features and the implemented technology should support and help the humans on Mars to realise their tasks.

The technologies and their use should showcase what kind of experiences could be possible in a future Land Rover vehicle.

The design and the solutions should explore and inspire a possible future direction for Land Rover.

GOALS AND WISHES

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

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EXTERIOR IDEATION

EXTERIOR

A big part of the formal and aesthetic inspiration comes from the very functional and distinctive design of spacecraft and -stations.

The underlying theme is based around the octagon. An inherently strong shape, usefull for the construction of pressurized chambers and commonly used by NASA.

Short overhangs, a high ground clearance and the short wheelbase enable great offroad capabilities.

The short overhangs also enable a big interior space.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Further 2D digital development During this phase of formal exploration I tried to apply different treatments and themes to the package I have decided on.

My intention was to create a strong technical character defined by it‘s functions. The styling should emphazise the technical areas but also introduce a dynamic through breaks and cuts into the blocky proportions.

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EXTERIOR DEVELOPMENT

EXTERIOR

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

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CHOSEN EXTERIOR PROPOSAL

EXTERIOR

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

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EXTERIOR CAD DEVELOPMENT

EXTERIOR

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INTERIOR IDEATION

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

The interior has to offer comfortable shelter for extended week-long expeditions. I included solutions that offer a transforming interior space to accomplish this. When not needed the steering wheel retracts. The seats fold out of the bed/bench. The footrest can be folded up to allow a lounge like interior space.

During the first phase of interior exploration I was trying different ergonomic reach zones and seating/lying positions in VR. On paper I sketched out transformations of components. I have then tested those ideas in VR by sketching out the areas where i.e. the steering wheel would fold in/out.

This gave me a clear understanding of the spaces I needed to respect in my interior package development.

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INTERIOR

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Through the use of mixed reality solutions the driving experience can be enhanced so that there is no physical obstruction blocking the view.

Additional features: >3D scanning of the environment; >3D interfaces and navigation integrated into the wearers vision; >The complete vehicle could be rendered see through.

(Therefore, the vehicle would not require windows, which would lead to a stiffer construction and the reduction of weight); >Guided Instructions, i.e. for repairs and assembly, directly at the point of interest;

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INTERIOR DEVELOPMENT

INTERIOR

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FUNCTION DEVELOPMENT

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

The vehicle still has front facing windows for the use in emergencies, but also to allow the crew to see outside, when not wearing the MR glasses.

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The MR visualizations and interfaces can overlay solid vehicle components and offer the crew a very exposed and immersive view of the surrounding.

This can help to clear obstacles, scout for paths and also to observe areas of interest. .

INTERIOR

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FUNCTION DEVELOPMENT

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

While exploring the vehicle‘s package different positions for functions such as the suitports were explored.

Exploring these functions in VR proved to be a very efficient way to confirm ergonomics and to come up with an efficient interior layout.

Not only could I quickly test components and features, but I also could get a realistic feeling for the dimensions needed to store i.e. the EVA-suit when it is retracted and stored.

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Sketching an EVA-suit in VR over a manequin proved useful to understand the dimensions needed to enter such a suit from a fixed attachment point on the vehicle.

Further testing with differently sized manequins, as well as testing and confirming with real people of different sizes gave me a clear idea of what a good standard for a universally ergonomic suitport would be.

INTERIOR

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RESULTS

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EXTERIOR

DESIGN

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RESULTS

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THRUSTERS

DESIGN

The exterior design exhibits a strong character through compact proportions, minimal overhangs and the exposed metal materials. The living cell is defined through a lighter metal finish. Add-on parts like the fenders and other protective cladding, which are locally 3D printed on Mars, are kept in a dark metal finish. Sharp and defined creases and cuts to the main body express thoughness and sturdyness. The precission of a few defining lines which extend over several exterior components hint at the vehicles technical sophistication.

The formal integration of technical components like the suspension arms and the thrusters into the body further emphasise this.

In order to ensure safety for the crew and the vehicle, a special thruster system was considered. One of the worst possible scenarios during an expedition would be a breakdown of the vehicle, because it flipped on its roof or on its side. Due to the low gravity on Mars this scenario could even occur at low speeds.

Should the vehicle go airborne or start to slide during driving, a system of six thrusters stabilises the vehicle.

Four on its underside and two more on either side of the vehicle.

The system can also be utilised to overcome small obstacles and gaps in the terrain or to provide additional forward momentum on steep inclines.

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RESULTS

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OFFROAD SYSTEMS

DESIGN

The vehicle incorporates wheelhubmotors because of the simplicity this solution provides. The usually negative effects of wheelhubsystems like a high weight far from the center of the vehicle, can be neglected on a relatively slow moving exploration vehicle in a scenario with reduced gravity effect. A real advantage is the less complicated assembly. In case a part breaks down and needs replacement the whole component can be exchanged.

By using this system no complicated mechanical power transmission needs to be considered in the suspension arms.

These only provide a solid and strong connection of the chassis to the wheels with a large amount of articulation. Each suspension arm has a fixing point for the hydraulic system. This system levels the vehicle and enables it to cross rocky areas and huge stones, as well as steep inclines.

The vehicles main systems to scan the environment are located in two areas above the windscreen. The laser and optical scanners are protected by orange tinted ceramic glass.

These scanners also provide a mixed reality image overlay for the crew.

To ensure traversing on all kinds of surfaces and terrains, plates on the metal wheels can extend to provide a claw like grip in rocky terrains or even shovel like surfaces for more efficiency on sand dunes.

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RESULTS

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RPHW AND MIXED REALITY INTERFACE

DESIGN

The mixed reality cockpit allows the crew a maximum forward and sideward visibility by rendering solid vehicle components transparent.

The 2D and 3D interfaces are seamlessly integrated into the MR-Vision.

This enables a realtime data read directly at the point of interest, as well as features like a realtime 3D map of the vehicles surroundings.

Another safety measure are the Rocket Propelled Harpoon Winches (RPHW).

These can be used in the circumstance of the vehicle getting stuck in extreme terrain conditions.

The navigator can use the vehicles mixed-reality system in combination with the drones, attached to the undersides of the suitport doors, to scout for appropriate anker points like cracked rocks or cliffs.

After choosing a winching point the RPHWs shoot out of the front compartment of the vehicle.

The projectiles are laser guided by the drones and release a quick hardening foam after impact. The vehicle can then use the winching mechanism to get unstuck. After winching forward, the cables detach from the projectiles and retract into the front compartment of the vehicle, where new projectiles automatically reattach to the cable.

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RESULTS

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ROCKET PROPELLED HARPOON WINCH

DESIGN

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RESULTS

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INTERIOR - CABIN AND FUNCTIONS

DESIGN

The interior offers multiple ergonomic seating and lying arrangements.

When the vehicle is stationary the seats can be folded flat. This transforms the benches into fullsize beds.

The footrests can then also be folded up to allow a lounge like seating by using the dashboard as armrests and back support. The mixed reality cockpit can then be used as an observation post.

Most interaction points are mixed reality interfaces, which are integrated into the vision of the astronauts. In the rear tables can be folded out of the wall to provide work and dining surfaces.

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RESULTS

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INTERIOR - BATHROOM

DESIGN

To enable extended expeditions with basic comfort and hygiene the vehicle also includes a bathroom with a flip out toilet and rudimentary showering equipment.

The user can shower in a standing position with the toilet retracted.

The bathroom also features a small window. This feature should relieve the astronauts of potential claustrophobic feelings due to the tight package of the cabin.

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RESULTS

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SUITPORT

DESIGN

The suitport doors on the interior are conveniantly placed alongside the benches to allow the crew an easy access to the suits from a seated position.

Each crew member has a suitport with a dedicated suit in the correct size.

The suitports are on the left and the right side of the vehicle. The articulated rails bring the suits into a comfortable position before the crew members climb in. After the suit is mounted the rail system extends.

This brings the astronauts closer to the surface. When not in use, the rails retract the suits and the doors cover them to protect from influences like winds or stone chipping.

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RESULTS

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MOBILE HQ AND DOCKING

DESIGN

The rear of the vehicle is designed to connect to a base station, as well as to other expedition vehicles. Each vehicle can unfold its rear doors to connect to either a base station dock or to another vehicle.

To connect three vehicles additional triangular extensions are located in the upper and the lower rear doors.

By connecting three vehicles a small multi purpose room is created.

This room can transfer crew members and also enables social interaction between the expedition crew members.

In such an arrangement the vehicles form a mobile HQ.

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RESULTS

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DESIGN MODEL

DESIGN

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REFLECTIONS AND CONCLUSIONS

During this project I needed to apply all the skills I learned and practiced in previous projects, but I also had to learn new tools and methods, in order to reach the complete design.

Especially the new virtual reality applications enabled me to progress this far with the project, while having fun, learning new tools, at the same time.

Testing ergonomics, reach zones and functions in VR turned out to be the biggest advantage of using this new technology in developing the design.

Applying this method early on allows to rule out flaws quickly. Furthermore, utilising basic volumes as placeholders for intended functions allows to rearrange quickly and test complete interior layouts with real scale visual verification.

In combination with traditional design methods like sketching 2D imagery and modelling in a surface modelling program like Alias the introduction of VR was a very satisfying experience. Early concept models could then be verified and tested in VR. Beeing enabled to sketch over such a concept model and to then reimporting those changes into i.e. Alias was very efficient. A back and forth process let me reitterate and test my intended functions, appearances and layouts.

To later showcase the Design in a realistic one to one scale, visualization software like VRED can be used to create a VR scene. In such a scene realistic materials and lighting situations can be simulated in a real time three dimensional experience.

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Even though getting familiar with the VR systems and applications, to the point of understanding how to utilise them properly, was a lenghty process. Their utilisation greatly benefitted the outcome of the project.

Functions could be explained and understood by the audience through the press of a button. The scale and dimension of interior and exterior could instantly be perceived. The viewers could experience the design rather than just look at it on a wall.

It will be interesting to see how this technology developes and how it will be applied in design processes in the future.

It might take a while until this technology and especially it‘s softwares reach their full potential but the solutions existing now are already very effective.

A major focus of my design development was the exploration of the exterior styling. Early design proposals showed a strong automotive language with soft volumes and flat, speedy proportions. Following interior ergonomics testing and the scenario conception of the astronauts work tasks quickly led me to a path of exploring bulkier proportions and bigger cabin volumes. The purpose oriented application of the vehicle also suggested exploring more technical and function focussed exterior appearances.

The constant switch between working on the interior and the exterior let me decide on a package, that was fulfilling all the necessary requirements while also beeing efficient, simple and smal.

After a few first iterations I started to ask others to jump into the interior by putting them into a VR scene.

Introducing a fresh set of eyes often gave new insight about the perception of the space inside the vehicle and how people would navigate through the interior. Asking people of different height to perform simple maneuvering inside the virtual cabin was very useful to confirm ergonomics and to decide on the package.

During the process of this project the internal reviews with Demian Horst, Jonas SandstrĂśm and one external tutor helped to formulate a clearer message and to concentrate on the important parts.

Due to the the complexity of this project in regards of the special conditions on Mars, but also my decision to design exterior and interior, I was forced to prioritize certain areas over others.

I decided to include and showcase the functions and features most important to successfully allow safe and extended exploration missions on Mars with a clear focus on the vehicle. Additional assets like the EVA-suits, the transport rocket or the base station were neglected.

For feedback on my proposed design solutions I relied mostly on my mentor at Land Rover Aymeric Chertier and Jonas SandstrĂśm at UID. Their input pushed me to explore more and they guided me towards the right decisions in terms of functions, as well as appearances.

The discussions I had with them were often inspiring and pushed me to try more, but also helped me build confidence in the solutions I decided on.

From a societal aspect I hope this project will generate further public interest in the topic of space exploration, as the develeopments made in this area lead to great advancements in technology, which will ultimatly benefit all of us.

In the best case my proposed design solutions inspire vehicles and their features and functions of the future.

Be it on Mars or Earth.

The process of this project showed me the usefulness of combining traditional design methods with new tools and trying to implement them into the deisng process. I hope I can inspire others to try experimenting and that I have shown the advantages of doing so.

For the future I will try to learn a new tool on a regular basis, as in my experience this can lead to new ways of thinking and designing, while also keeping the design process alive and interesting.

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REFERENCES Information about the journey to Mars: https://www.exploremars.org/why-we-can%E2%80%99t-send-humans-to-mars-yet-and-how-we%E2%80%99ll-fix-that https://www.nasa.gov/content/journey-to-mars-overview http://www.fool.com/investing/2016/10/08/boeing-and-spacex-arent-going-anywhere-without-bio.aspx http://www.theverge.com/2016/9/28/13087110/spacex-elon-musk-mars-plan-habitat-radiation-funding-questions https://spaceflightnow.com/2016/06/02/elon-musk-hopes-spacex-will-send-humans-to-mars-in-2024/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Exploration_Rover https://www.inverse.com/article/21492-spacex-methane-production-mars http://exploration.esa.int/mars/46038-methane-on-mars/ http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mars/news/marsmethane.html https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/strg/2012_nstrf_gonyea.html http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-releases-plan-outlining-next-steps-in-the-journey-to-mars http://www.mars-one.com/mission/roadmap Mars Underground (documentary): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcTZvNLL0-w&list=PLGAstYELnnqYt0Z7z1TBC-KDolOrfNXeY&index=6&t=1218s The future of man-kind heading into space(TED-Talk): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAF2z2V5uQ4&list=PLGAstYELnnqYt0Z7z1TBC-KDolOrfNXeY&index=5 3D Printing Our Future in Space and on Earth (TED-Talk): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbAac9DxM1I&list=PLGAstYELnnqYt0Z7z1TBC-KDolOrfNXeY&index=12 The future of our species begins with Mars One (TED-Talk): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuPeG13KtBs&list=PLGAstYELnnqYt0Z7z1TBC-KDolOrfNXeY&index=14&t=69s What if you had a day on Mars (TED-Talk): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LupcQw8OoTY&list=PLGAstYELnnqYt0Z7z1TBC-KDolOrfNXeY&index=15 How we landed a car on Mars (TED-Talk): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhA3rvWmGuI&list=PLGAstYELnnqYt0Z7z1TBC-KDolOrfNXeY&index=16&t=8s Reaching for the moon - creating a multi-planet civilization (TED-Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-XtByi0EgQ&list=PLGAstYELnnqYt0Z7z1TBC-KDolOrfNXeY&index=17 Mars ice house and 3D printing on Mars: https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/centennial_challenges/3DPHab/2015winners.html http://www.marsicehouse.com/ https://www.nasa.gov/feature/langley/a-new-home-on-mars-nasa-langley-s-icy-concept-for-living-on-the-red-planet Enabling technology: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space-based_solar_power https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Oxygen_ISRU_Experiment http://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/mission/instruments/moxie/for-scientists/ Materials for future space use: https://www.fastcodesign.com/3066988/mit-invented-the-material-well-need-to-build-in-space?utm_content=buffer7924f&utm_ medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

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Mixed Reality: Magic Leap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLkFWq_ipCc&index=2&list=PLGAstYELnnqYTu5oDi37pYx2VCeKA1jph https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4mq3G6iBks&list=PLGAstYELnnqYt0Z7z1TBC-KDolOrfNXeY&index=9&t=128s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBa-668ByAk&list=PLGAstYELnnqYt0Z7z1TBC-KDolOrfNXeY&index=10 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0b6IeX_x48&list=PLGAstYELnnqYt0Z7z1TBC-KDolOrfNXeY&index=11 ODG: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/xVhF3ai44Xo/hqdefault.jpg?custom=true&w=120&h=90&jpg444=true&jpgq=90&sp=68&sigh=ojn1kpF16-QkIPzARNiWDsF3GcM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrDgFjBSVuE&list=PLGAstYELnnqYt0Z7z1TBC-KDolOrfNXeY&index=19 Land Rover: http://www.landrover.com/experiences/news/the-transparent-bonnet.html

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Mars Stations / The people on Mars https://d28rv7itqgss13.cloudfront.net/assets/img/ares_inside-1600_large_2x.jpg http://static.skynetblogs.be/media/32278/the_martian_2015_pic01.jpg https://3dprintingindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/tumblr_nugpezT5hl1ug5hjio1_1280.jpg https://static1.squarespace.com/static/55edd735e4b02e95293af331/5607102ee4b0fb7874b6707b/56071059e4b06b221ba343f3/1443303515334/intro6.jpg?format=2500w https://www.archinfo.sk/image-handler/8258/1709929/gallery/box_11901/orig_1/mars_section+02_Rev1.jpg https://static1.squarespace.com/static/55edd735e4b02e95293af331/5607102ee4b0fb7874b6707b/5607105de4b06b221ba3441f/1443303518650/intro10.jpg?format=2500w https://www.wired.de/sites/default/files/inline-images/2015-09/platz3.jpg https://3druck.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/mars_ice_house_3d_printed_habitat_challenge_nasa.jpg https://fednewsservice.com/NxdyTx/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/martian-colonies.jpg In Situ Ressource Utilization https://www.nasa.gov/images/content/295729main_esmd-pilot-hi.jpg http://marsforthemany.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/am5SP0T.jpg https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/pst_isru_021600_03052015_2.jpg Space Based Solar Power https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/A315.jpg http://discovermagazine.com/~/media/Images/Issues/2015/july-aug/JAXA.jpg https://image.slidesharecdn.com/space-basedsolarpower-140305162008-phpapp01/95/space-based-solar-power-sbsp-13-638. jpg?cb=1394038192 http://www.space.news/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2016/11/space-panels-e1461668335727-543x300.jpg Mixed Reality https://i0.wp.com/googlediscovery.com/wp-content/uploads/magic-leap.jpg?fit=2048%2C1152&ssl=1 https://assets.wired.com/photos/w_2500/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Example-of-holographic-storytelling.jpg https://www.filepicker.io/api/file/qBNAVRSvSeU5BB1v9AvQ https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/y0OkikjhSr80JVcxfmLg61Oj8yE=/3x0:1386x778/1600x900/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_ image/image/49346653/magicleaplightfieldchip.0.0.jpg http://www.melihatasoylu.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Hololens-820x587.jpg http://static.keptelenseg.hu/thumbs/big/v/16f4d39ac170b0001212bffea5ef2ddd.jpg https://i1.wp.com/twimages.vr-zone.net/2015/04/mini-augmented-vision-010-1.jpg https://www.wbpro.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Mixed-Reality-Augmented-Virtuality-Virtual-Reality-Whats-the-Difference. jpg https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/on02raPi_qHLjhQvwozv58JUPu-JaUeVVUxSjzneSvJRASMNR_FN8qEoyBYCa8NFxUQls6Ss8XVqFDE=s1200-no Land Rover Today and My Land Rover Experience/ Land Rover Tomorrow http://www.4x4digital.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/2015-Range-Rover-Sport-HSE-Dynamic-3.0L-SDV6-review-0611.jpg https://media.wired.com/photos/59326462edfced5820d10076/191:100/pass/invisible-hood-ft.jpg http://i.auto-bild.de/ir_img/1/1/6/8/4/5/9/Motorhaube-mit-Tarnkappe-560x373-f81cb21ba85ea483.jpg https://www.landroverusa.com/Images/L405_14_EXT_LOC03_dfc_fs_04_293-89674_1600x900.jpg?v=2 https://autoreview.ru/images/gallery/2013/5023/Grafica-__Wade.jpg https://www.landroverusa.com/Images/L494_14_INT_DET17_04_gl_fs_293-83903_1820x1023.jpg?v=2 Goals and Wishes https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/docs/earthmars.jpg

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