How Metamaterials Can Help Moon Rovers Survive Both Days and Nights [NIAC 2026]

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🟣 Guest: Dr. Austin Phoenix
https://nationalsecurity.vt.edu/personnel-directory/phoenix-austin.html
ORCID: 0000-0003-3265-2284

📜 ECLIPSE – Efficient variable Conductivity Lunar Insulator for Passive Surveyor Environmental control
https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/stmd/niac/eclipse-efficient-variable-conductivity-lunar-insulator-for-passive-surveyor-environmental-control/

👉 All 2026 NIAC Selections
https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/stmd/niac/niac-studies/niac-2026-selections/

The Moon is brutal. It's super hot during the day and super cold during the night. Most landers and rovers can't survive that swing. So, how do you mitigate it? One of this year's NIAC projects has a potential solution.

00:00 Intro
01:04 Why is the Moon so terrible?
04:56 Mitigation strategies
30:33 Current obsessions
38:11 Final thoughts


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