Conditions at landing site:

The South Pole offers a very different thermal environment than most of the rest of the moon.  The weather is milder and has a lower temperature range.  Temperature at the equator can vary from  123 to 373 K, but close to the pole it is approximately 223 - 10 K.  This is a great advantage for a rover.  But a lunar rover still needs to maintain a suitable temperature for operation.  Thermal considerations are important. 

Thermal Fabric:

3M™Nextel™ Continuous Filament Ceramic Oxide Fibers 312 and 440 are made into textiles that can operate in extreme temperatures.  Many different fabrics can be made from them for use in aerospace applications, like fabric, tape, paper, and sleevings.  These can be used for heat shields, coverings, linings, insulation, and seals.  These products are light weight, have low thermal conductivity, high shock resistance, and low elongation and shrinkage in extreme temperatures. 

Our rover will have fabric made from Nextel fibers 312 lining the electronics box for insulation.  The fabric will be adhered to the outside of the box to protect from the outside cold and keep the heat from the electronics inside,  All of the wires within the electronic system will be wrapped in Nextel fiber braided sleeving for thermal protection.  The braid supports insulation up to 1000ºC, 1832ºF.  3M Nextel Ceramic Textiles Technical Notebook, 3m Nextel™ Textiles and Composites, St. Paul, MN   [8]

Flexible Heater Units:

Small 3.5 W power unit for warming the camera lenses during startup procedures and after hibernation or idle time.

Larger flexible heating units are attached to inside walls of electrical box unit to keep constant temperature.  The electrical box houses the computer, batteries, and other electronic components. 

Other Thermal Systems:

The thermal subsystem also contains the thermostats and radiators to control the temperature.  The outside of the robot will be covered with gold paint and a reflecting surface.

Places where parts come together on the chassis will be filled with aerogel to protect and seal it.