The Luna–Aegis Short Hopper is a reusable single-stage VTOL lunar shuttle designed for rapid transfer between Aegis Station in low lunar orbit and surface sites near the Moon's south pole. Operating on ISRU-compatible LOX/LH₂ propellants with a single gimbaled vacuum engine, it supports crew, cargo, and hybrid missions across a 1,500–2,000 km range — serving as the primary logistics backbone of the Aegis architecture.
VTOL
Single-Stage
ISRU-Compatible
Fully Reusable
Autonomous Capable
Artemis Compatible
| TOTAL HEIGHT | ~6.5 m |
| LANDING ZONE DIA. | ~4.5 m |
| GROSS WET MASS | ~8,000 kg |
| DRY MASS | ~5,250 kg |
| PROPELLANT MASS | ~2,750 kg (34.4% mass fraction) |
| PROPELLANTS | LOX / LH₂ (ISRU-compatible) |
| ENGINE CONFIG | Single gimbaled vacuum engine |
| THRUST (VAC) | ~25–30 kN |
| ISP (VACUUM) | 430–450 s |
| T/W AT LIFTOFF (LUNAR) | ~1.9–2.3 (liftoff) → increasing as propellant burns |
| DESIGN ΔV | 1,800 m/s (incl. 10% margin) |
| MISSION ΔV RANGE | 1,600–1,700 m/s per one-way hop |
| ATTITUDE CONTROL | Engine gimbal (primary) + RCS thrusters (fine) |
| SURFACE–SURFACE RANGE | 1,500–2,000 km one-way |
| SURFACE–LLO CAPABLE | Yes (with ISRU refuel at surface) |
| REUSABILITY | Min. 5–10 sorties; indefinite w/ proactive maintenance |
| TURNAROUND TIME | 24–48 hours (LUNET node support) |
| LANDING PRECISION | ±3 meters (nominal) |
| CREW (STANDARD) | 4 astronauts |
| CREW (MAX / REDUCED RANGE) | 6 astronauts |
| CARGO CAPACITY | Up to 1,000 kg (cargo config) |
| OPERATIONAL DURATION | 72–96 hours (crewed) |
| AVIONICS | Dual-redundant radiation-hardened flight computers |
| NAVIGATION | FOG/RLG IMU + MEMS backup, Kalman fusion, lidar/radar alt. |
| LANDING GUIDANCE | Terrain-relative nav; LUNET beacon alignment compatible |
| COMMS | S-band/UHF (short range) + high-gain directional (station uplink) |
| POWER | Rechargeable battery packs + passive solar backup |
| LIFE SUPPORT | O₂/N₂ pressurized cabin; Orion-class LSS heritage |
| DOCKING INTERFACE | Aft/lower hatch; soft-seal pressurized collar |
Config A — Crew
👨🚀
4
Astronauts (standard) / 6 max
Full pressurized cabin with suits, airlock, and emergency portable air systems. 72–96 hr life support. Direct suitport mate with Aegis-Class Rover.
Config B — Cargo
📦
1,000
kg payload capacity
Palletized cargo mounts with latch-and-lock system. Supports ISRU tanks, EVA gear, small rovers/drones, sample return payloads. Robotic assist arm optional.
Config C — Hybrid
⚙️
2 crew
+ up to ~500 kg cargo
Mixed crew and logistics manifest. Supports medical evacuation, science payload delivery, and priority crew + equipment transfers between surface nodes.
A single gimbaled LOX/LH₂ vacuum engine (~25–30 kN) is both mass-efficient and mechanically simpler than a multi-engine cluster at this vehicle scale.
At 8,000 kg wet mass, lunar liftoff weight is only ~13 kN, giving a T/W of ~1.9–2.3 at ignition — ideal for controlled VTOL ascent.
Gimbal provides full pitch/yaw authority; RCS handles roll and fine station-keeping. The architecture is compatible with ISRU-derived propellant
production, enabling full lunar surface access via staged hops.
MASS BUDGET — 8,000 kg WET
PROPELLANT (LOX/LH₂)
~2,750 kg · 34.4%
STRUCTURE / TANKS
~2,110 kg · 26.4%
CABIN / LSS / PAYLOAD
~1,055 kg · 13.2%
PROPULSION SYSTEM
~790 kg · 9.9%
LANDING GEAR
~527 kg · 6.6%
AVIONICS / GN&C
~422 kg · 5.3%
MASS MARGIN (7%)
~369 kg · 4.6%
LANDING SYSTEM
- Four fixed legs, thermal-shielded with adaptive dust-tolerant footpads
- Terrain-relative navigation via lidar + radar altimeter
- FOG or RLG IMU with MEMS backup; Kalman sensor fusion
- LUNET beacon alignment for node-assisted precision landing
- Nominal precision: ±3 m; abort logic with redundant nav paths
- Operable in permanently shadowed regions (PSRs)
INTERFACES & INTEGRATION
- Soft-docking collar: compatible with Aegis Station, surface habs, Aegis-Class Rover suitport
- Pressurized telescoping tunnel with dust seals — no EVA required for crew transfer
- Cryogenic refueling via LUNET-compatible cartridge port
- Palletized cargo latch-and-lock; optional robotic assist arm
- Field diagnostics via rover interface or LUNET node
- Modular avionics and structural interfaces for rapid field swap
Year One
PDR
Preliminary
Design Review
Year Two
Subsystem
Demos &
CDR
Year Three
Flight
Prototype
Build
Year 4+
Qualification
Flight &
Operations
WORK PACKAGES (ALL TBD — OPEN FOR PARTNERSHIP)
Cryo Propulsion System · Avionics & GN&C · Cabin & Life Support Systems · Landing Gear & Tank Modules
The Short Hopper is available for feasibility study, licensing, and development partnership.
Contact: Aaron Smith · engage@aegisstation.com · aegisstation.com