The year 2009 ended with the team engaged in a series of critical
hardware-related experiments designed to ensure the surviveability of
the components aboard our lunar rover. Given the Moon's extremely low
temperatures at night in particular, there is considerable emphasis on
cryogenic testing.
Among other things, we placed a camera Pan&Tilt motor drive board
inside a cryostat at a temperature of -175°C. Poly bags were used to
control condensation. After 1.5 hours inside the cryostat, the motor
drive board was thawed out at room temperature. Test results were very
positive as all the components operated properly. These experiments
will continue in 2010.