Lunar Flagpole

As one of my main projects during my NASA internship, I worked on developing the next-generation lunar flagpole.

Currently residing in Mission Control in Houston, Texas, this flagpole is a candidate for the design that will go to the moon during the Artemis Lunar Landings in the next decade.

A complex problem with many criteria and constraints, the development of the flagpole took several months to complete in its entirety.

CRITERIA

The flagpole must:

⮞ Store into as small a space as possible

⮞ Be easy to assemble without dexterous movement (spacesuits)

⮞ Function appropriately in the harsh lunar environment (dust, 1/6 gravity, temperature differential, etc)

⮞ Hold the flag securely, with a rod through the top to negate the absence of wind

FINAL DESIGN

The final design of the flagpole added 4 new systems:

1) A regolith-proof lock mechanism that allowed for rotation of the flag with locks at each angle.

2) A sealed telescoping top rod that stays in its extension due to a friction-fit design.

3) A pivot that easily locks at the 90° point to hold the horizontal pole straight, manufactured on a Haas VF-2

4) A "driving system" consisting of spikes on the bottom of the pole and a piece used to cover the lock mechanism so it can be hammered upon.