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D25 Modular Rover Aims to Be the Next SpaceX Vehicle for Waste Management

Space seems to no longer be the final frontier. While some people are hardly working, others are designing the next generation of space vehicles.
D25 Modular Rover 6 photos
Photo: Joshua Cotter
D25 Modular RoverD25 Modular RoverD25 Modular RoverD25 Modular RoverD25 Modular Rover
Since space expansion doesn’t seem to be slowing down, some people have made it their day job to design the next generation of space vehicles. One of those people is Joshua Cotter, a freelance designer out of Hollywood, CA. Looking on his ArtStation page, you’ll quickly find that he has a passion for space and the likes, including robotics and even weaponry.

The vehicle in question here is dubbed the D25 Modular Rover. Just as the name would suggest, this other worldly vehicle is supposed to meet more than one need, a huge plus for when being utilized on an off-world base with limited space for multiple vehicles.

To make things easier to understand, let me begin by saying there are three main components to the D25. The first and most important is the platform. Like that of a cargo truck chassis, this component seems to include the entire drivetrain for the rover and probably the entire propulsion system.

D25 Modular Rover
Photo: Joshua Cotter
The designer makes no mention of how this vehicle is meant to be powered, but seeing how things are moving these days, I'd bet my bottom dollar that it’s going to be electric. After all the base does look large enough to include everything from in-wheel motors to battery packs. The front of the chassis includes only one set of wheels as this section will be subject to the cabin crew module which is much lighter than the module placed on the rear.

The cab module is absolutely nothing more that the brains of the operations. Here, crew members are completely protected from the harsh elements of space through means of a separate structure from the rest of the rover. If it’s a monocoque build, all the better. The cabin module is also part of the modular components list, and depending on the job at hand, it can be changed with an appropriate cabin.

At the rear of the chassis, you’ll notice two set of wheels. Why? Well, the main function expressed in this design is that of a waste transport. Yes, it’s a garbage truck. The largest component, aside from the chassis, is the waste transportation module on the rear.

Just to make things clear, the D25 Modular Rover is a vehicle that’s meant to collect and transport any kind of waste that may be produced by human operations, or simply to clear an area of debris so that human expansion can occur.

D25 Modular Rover
Photo: Joshua Cotter
Go ahead and laugh, but when you think about it, vehicles like these will be a must whenever human exploration begins to turn into human expansion. Even exploration produces waste. What, you think all those rovers that mankind has already sent to Mars have made it home?

As far as any other components regarding suspension, possible interior options, or even how waste is removed and disposed of, is not mentioned. At this stage in development, it makes no sense to bother with such design aspects.

One thing you may notice, however, is that NASA, SpaceX, and even Tesla seem to be in on this project. Well, for the time being they aren’t. These brands are there just for show. That’s not to say that one day they very well could be on the side of a vehicle much like the D25.

For now, it’s just a design that’s meant to give you a taste of what some people do for a living and how their work is influencing the very future of mankind.
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About the author: Cristian Curmei
Cristian Curmei profile photo

A bit of a nomad at heart (being born in Europe and raised in several places in the USA), Cristian is enamored with travel trailers, campers and bikes. He also tests and writes about urban means of transportation like scooters, mopeds and e-bikes (when he's not busy hosting our video stories and guides).
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