Continuing the concept of a Kayak in SPACE, The next step is to complete an “Engineering Design Narrative.” This describes in narrative form, what the item should do, what its parameters are, what environments and circumstances it needs to survive, in order to perform its duties.
The Scooter should be able to do all the actions that we would expect a human in a space suit to do: Pick up samples, place equipment, repair damaged equipment, repair damaged habitat parts, experiment with regolith, move Lunar Return Vehicles, refuel such other vehicles as might exist, and so on. A set of articulated arms with articulated fingers to manipulate exterior items would be necessary. It should have an 8 hour or more active range, and possibly be able to be refueled or accept battery changes or recharges. As it would often work during the Lunar night, it would need headlights, tail lights, possibly side lights, and possible extendable floodlights.
It will have to survive the extreme temperature changes on the surface of the Moon, from – 200°F during the Lunar night, to +250°F during the Lunar daylight. Occasionally, Solar radiation and Cosmic rays could blast the Scooter with heavy ionizing radiation.
The Scooter will need to travel across the Lunar surface. Some parts of the surface are deep dust, and some parts are sharp rocky outcrops. It remains to be seen whether articulated legs, such as the ones used for the Boston Dynamics robot dogs, or whether wheels such as those used on the original Lunar Rovers would be the best suited for travel. It possibly would be better to have an assortment, some Scooters with wheels, and some with legs. Any joints or wheel bearings would need to be protected from the ravages of the Moon dust. As with a pickup truck or utility truck, there would need to be attachment points for carrying things, or dragging equipment. A trailer hitch, maybe.
The Scooter needs to be entered and exited directly to the interior of the Habitat, without having to evacuate all the air out of the airlock. So there needs to be a double airlock – one that isolates the Habitat, and one that isolates the Scooter, right next to each other. The airlocks should be openable by hand by the operator, and lock into airtight position. This probably means they would be “above” the head space of the operator. This also implies that the operator enters the Scooter feet first, and then reaches above their head to close the airlock to the Habitat, and then close the airlock to the Scooter.
Once inside the Scooter, the operator would enter into a harness, much like current seatbelts, and attach leggings and diapers. The operator would end up operating the arms and controls while laying prone inside the Scooter, It is possible that urine can be used as a power source, so there may be a urine collection contraption, rather than a diaper.
Much like a terrestrial kayak, the operator would end up "wearing" the Scooter.
The interior would involve typical viewscreens for forward, backward, above, below, and both sides (six sides of the cube), with close-up views for looking at items the arms would be holding or repairing. And control arms for controlling the exterior articulated arms and legs. There would also be storage for batteries and power, air, water and food, and air, humidity, and temperature control.
Such a vehicle can be expected to get banged up and damaged occasionally, and need to be repaired or get new batteries. It can not be expected that repairs take place inside the habitat. A Repair Bay would need to be attached to the Habitat, with a workbench and toolbox accessible by remote articulated arms, operated from inside the Habitat. Any repairs needed would be accomplished by a person operating from inside the Habitat, on a Scooter on the outside of the Habitat.