Your Mission. Landing Secured.
LS2 is the Ultimate Risk Mitigation Tool.
This Passive System Delivers
Assured Upright Stability
on 45° Terrain and
Reduces Peak Impact
Load by 70-85% with
flight ready hardware.
Mission Failure is Not an Option.
The $150 Million+ Liability Ends Here.
Maximum Protection. Minimal Complexity.
LS2 is not just an innovation;
it is the very definition of Mission Protection.
For nearly 70 years, systems have relied on the same rigid leg designs built to conquer the lunar surface, an approach that has proven
to be too risky and structurally unsound.
Our philosophy is simple: The LS2 reframes lunar landing from a structural gamble to a validated landing solution by leveraging
passive mechanics. As the single, flight-ready system that
removes the complexity of motors, sensors, and software,
LS2 assures mission integrity at the most critical phase: the landing.
Energy Absorbing Vertex
Introducing LS2:
The Active Solution in a Passive System
LS2 (Lunar Landing Stabilization System) is a patented, polyhedral framework that delivers impact mitigation and self-righting.
Its high-strength carbon fiber struts (7 GPa) are interconnected at energy-absorbing vertices that absorb up to 3.05 kJ each, achieving a 70−85% peak load reduction compared to rigid legs by transforming structural shock into distributed, manageable, kinetic energy.
Key Features:
-
Passive Stabilization: The 360° gimbal requires zero power, sensors, or complex flight software for operation.
-
Risk Mitigation: Specifically designed to eliminate mission compromises that have led to industry losses exceeding $150M+ per incident.
-
Scalable Architecture: Adapted for landers from 800 kg to 10,000 kg. Assures stability on slopes up to 45°.
FRAME
Polyhedral Structure
The Structural Integrity.
Engineered to inherently translate impact forces. By distributing these forces omni-directionally, the frame serves as the foundation for 45° stable self-righting.
VERTICES
Energy Dampers
The Impact Mitigator.
Absorb up to
3.05 kJ per vertex, reducing peak
load by 70-85%.
GIMBAL
Passive Stabilizer
The Self-Righting System.
360° mechanism requires zero power, sensors, or complex flight software.
CAMERAS
Integrated Navigation
The Critical View.
Optional, passive cameras provide visual coverage of the lander and payload across the entire mission profile, from launch/orbit through touchdown and post-landing assessment. Integrated within the internal frame, they capture critical visual evidence for post-mission review and future design optimization.
LS2 in Action:
The Four Phases of
Secure Upright Landing
LS2 Mission Profile
Phase 1: Terminal Descent
LS2 maintains structural alignment for a gentle touchdown speed of 1 to 6 m/s, utilized by the lander’s thrusters. This ensures the system is optimized for powered breaking maneuvers.
Phase 2: Initial Contact & Mitigation
Upon touchdown, the system absorbs 70-85% of peak forces across its structure, fully protecting the lander and sensitive payload. This is achieved through the LS2 Cascade Effect: impact forces are exponentially divided and dissipated as they travel away from the initial contact points, eliminating structural shock before it reaches the lander.
Phase 3: Link Fracture (Gimbal Release)
Frangible links shear instantly upon impact, freeing the passive gimbal to provide immediate, adaptive self-righting (upright) stability.
Phase 4: Self-Righting & Stabilization
The frame and gimbal passively rotate, achieving assured upright posture and omnidirectional stability on uneven terrain and slopes up to 45°. This process directly eliminates the instability failure modes inherent to lunar landings on uneven and challenging terrain.
Landing Complete: Mission Ready
The lander is secure and upright. LS2 is rated to enable high-value, multi-site exploration hops of 10 to 50 meters, leveraging residual lander propellant. This offers mission planners unprecedented flexibility for site correction or scientific exploration.
Competitive Advantage
The Definitive Advantage in Mission Assurance.
LS2 is engineered as a passive, high-integrity structural partner for all lunar and planetary landers. We deliver reliability unmatched by rigid leg systems, turning $150 Million+ mission exposure into verified success. LS2 excels where conventional legs fail: securing the lander and payloads during high-risk, off-nominal landings on challenging slopes and rugged terrain.
Partner with CrescentTide
Tailored Solutions for Mission-Ready Landers
INTEGRATION
CONSULTING
The Expert Partner
Use our leadership team for structural analysis, LS2 integration planning, and mission assurance. We partner to assure maximum TRL advancement and payload optimization.
TECHNOLOGY
LICENSING
Strategic Access
Secure flexible licensing agreements for the patented LS2 polyhedral framework and gimbal mechanism.
COLLABORATIVE
MANUFACTURING
Scalable Production
Partner with our supply chain experts to integrate LS2 into your domestic manufacturing pipeline.
Our Mission
A Mandate for Mission Assurance.
The 70-Year Problem.
CrescentTide was founded on an unavoidable truth: the current mission success rate for lunar landings is unacceptable.
For nearly 70 years, landing systems have relied on the same fundamental, rigid-leg design originating with Surveyor I in 1966. This outdated approach has led to catastrophic mission failures, multi-billion-dollar losses in the CLPS program, and threatens global leadership in space exploration.
Our Solution and Commitment:
Our diagnosis is simple:
The failure lies in the rigid, leg-based systems themselves.
We set out to replace the legs with a proven, reliable upright solution.
CrescentTide is the agile, high-leverage engineering firm dedicated to solving this fundamental unreliability. Our commitment extends beyond the patented hardware; our leadership serves as a critical technical integration partner, supported by a robust network of seasoned aerospace advisors who provide specialized expertise to ensure every mission is fully secured and successful.
YOUR MISSION.
LANDING SECURED.