The environment inside lunar polar permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) challenges robotic and human explorers with extreme cold, extended darkness, ice as hard as basalt, challenging terrain, hard vacuum, and the limited, if not non-existent, line-of-sight communications into or out of the PSRs. Taking advantage of the relatively weak lunar gravitational field and the lack of an atmosphere, a tall, lightweight, autonomously deployed tower, situated just outside the PSR, would provide multiple lines of sight to the Earth, the Sun, the lander, the surface inside and outside the PSR and the distant lunar horizon. Payloads at the top of the tower, up to 16.5 m above the lunar surface, could include radio repeaters and remote sensing, imaging, and power beaming systems. A lightweight, self-deployable tower infrastructure will aid NASA in achieving the goals of the Artemis program by enabling the exploration and development of PSRs near the lunar poles. The capabilities designed into this tower are key enablers for small, distributed payloads and autonomous robots that operate synergistically to deliver a robust capability to explore and operate in and around PSRs. 

I contribute to the analysis of the composite boom and the mechanical design and prototyping of its deployer to ensure that it successfully deploys vertically. I am responsible for the structural analysis of the leveler platform and the boom, the design, prototyping, and testing of a 3D-printed brace to support the deployment of the boom, as well as managing some mechanical interfaces for the system. This project was a true test of resiliency, dedication, and collaboration for the team as right in the middle, we were dispersed around the world, from Massachusetts to Australia, due to COVID-19. However, the team adapted quickly and was able to successfully demonstrate the system.