Most people use Twitch Chat to connect with gamers and creators in real-time. Will Brennan, founder of Type2Labs, wants to use it to drive a rover on the moon.
His mission, “Chat, We’re Going to the Moon,” is exactly as it sounds: a lunar rover that Twitch Chat can collectively control from Earth. If successful, viewers won’t just watch a moon mission unfold, they’ll actively participate in it.
It’s an ambitious goal that sits somewhere between space exploration, a YouTuber’s influence, and SendCutSend’s CNC capabilities. And like many great engineering projects, it started with one simple question: What if the public could actually explore the moon?
From Live-Streams to Lunar Exploration
Will’s vision goes far beyond a single rover. The first mission will allow Twitch Chat to drive a rover across the lunar surface. Yet, he’s determined to bring the cost down enough to send hundreds of rovers that anyone can control.
“Future versions could allow individual creators, classrooms, and eventually anyone with an internet connection to explore the moon.”
The idea grew out of Will’s desire to support humanity’s long-term future on the moon: “I wanted to help ensure that the US has a permanent base. To do this, we need to create a commercial market for the moon.”
As he explored different concepts, he landed on a vision that combined space exploration with public participation.
Unlike the Apollo era, when people watched from their living rooms, Will believes future space exploration can be interactive rather than passive observation.
“The Artemis generation can be directly involved in our return to the moon. That part is what is most exciting to me now.”
Concept to Hardware
For some engineers, a bold idea spends years in the planning phase. For Will, not so much.
As soon as the concept emerged, he started building prototypes in his living room while simultaneously experimenting with Twitch-connected hardware projects to better understand the streaming community that would eventually become his customer base.
There were a few detours along the way…
A remotely operated Earth rover. A Twitch-connected Nerf turret. A device called TreatBot, which allows you to dispense treats remotely.
Each project taught valuable lessons about hardware development, audience engagement, and building connected products.
Then, in 2025, two things happened. Will decided to stop chasing side quests and fully commit to the moon mission, and, nearly at the same time, commercial lunar exploration took a major step forward. He decided it was time to focus.
One of his first orders from SendCutSend was a single laser-cut aluminum wheel. It wasn’t much, but it represented a shift—the project was no longer a concept, it was becoming real hardware.
Designing for One of the Harshest Environments
Building hardware for Earth can be challenging; building for the moon is an entirely different game. It’s an unforgiving place to operate.
Unlike terrestrial robots, lunar rovers must survive radiation exposure, vacuum conditions, abrasive lunar dust, launch vibrations, and terrain that remains only partially understood.
“One of the main challenges is temperatures ranging from roughly +250°F to -208°F.”
There are no repair crews, no replacement parts, no second chances. Every design decision ultimately traces back to one critical constraint: “Mass drives everything.”
Because launch costs are heavily tied to payload weight, every gram matters. Larger batteries, additional shielding, and extra redundancy all improve survivability, but they also increase mission cost.
“I am adding just enough solar and battery to drive and send images and videos. Just enough mass and structure to survive launch. Just enough surface area to dissipate heat.”
Essentially, he’s focused on building the smallest, lightest rover that can successfully complete its mission.
#SendCutMoon
The rover itself is intentionally simple: four wheels and a camera.
That simplicity extends to how users will interact with it. There won’t be autonomous driving or smart obstacle avoidance. “It will be up to Chat to keep it alive.”
Because signals take approximately 1.3 seconds to travel between Earth and the moon, users won’t be driving the rover in real time. Instead, they’ll send commands, wait for images and video to return, and then decide what to do next.
Every move will be a collaborative experiment between humans and a machine exploring nearly 240,000 miles away.
Rapid Prototyping with SendCutSend
Space projects are famous for iteration and testing, and Will’s approach is no different. The ability to quickly compare materials, manufacturing methods, and design revisions has become a critical part of the development process.
Today, SendCutSend parts make up the core of the rover’s prototype architecture.
“My goal was to build something that looked and operated like the final version at a low cost.”
The rover body consists of four bent aluminum panels, while the wheels are assembled from laser-cut aluminum components. Future versions will incorporate CNC-machined parts as the design moves closer to flight hardware.
Beyond the rover itself, Will is also using SendCutSend materials for Lunar Exploration Club membership cards, experimenting with aluminum, brass, copper, and titanium.
Designing Faster and Learning On-the-Go
For Will, SendCutSend’s biggest advantages aren’t just manufacturing or precision—but speed.
“Instant quoting was the most valuable feature from the beginning.”
In fact, while learning bent sheet metal design for the first time, he cycles through multiple versions almost immediately, going through 4-5 revisions before arriving at his final design.
The combination of instant pricing, automated DMF checks, video guides and resources, and responsive customer support allowed him to move far faster than traditional manufacturing.
He’s able to order a wheel, test it on moon-surface simulant, measure how it performs, revise his design, and repeat.
“This is where rapid fabrication with SendCutSend becomes useful. I love being able to drop in a file, get instant pricing, and have the option to order a single part.”
A New Era for Small Builders
Not long ago, projects like this would have required the resources of a major aerospace organization. Today, a single builder can prototype lunar hardware from a small workshop.
Modern manufacturing has fundamentally changed what’s possible: “It makes getting started way faster.”
After dealing with traditional manufacturing during earlier projects, SendCutSend’s model felt radically different. That accessibility is one of the reasons he encourages others to pursue ambitious ideas.
When asked what advice he’d give aspiring builders, his answer was straightforward: “Get started and build the first version and then the full system as soon as possible – there is no such thing as leaving the ‘easy’ thing for the end.”
The Next Major Milestone
Right now, Will is focused on completing the engineering prototype—the version that will validate the architecture intended for flight. He’s targeting completion of this phase by the end of 2026.
After that comes testing, qualification, integration, and eventually launch. He expects some of the major challenges (and failures) to still be ahead of him. And if everything goes according to plan? Well, you’ll have to follow along @_type2labs to find out.
“I imagine it would be pure joy and a huge feeling of accomplishment. Everyone is watching the screen, hoping everything works, and then the room just erupts. That shared moment will be amazing.”
Bring Your Next Project Within Reach
Type2Labs is proof that today’s builders have access to tools once unimaginable just a decade ago. With rapid fabrication, accessible CAD software, modern electronics, and a willingness to learn, even a solo builder can tackle problems that once belonged exclusively to the aerospace giants.
Whether you’re designing hardware for Earth, orbit, or the lunar surface, SendCutSend helps turn ambitious ideas into physical reality—quickly, affordably, and without the barriers that traditionally slow innovation.
Working on a project that’s pushing boundaries? We’d love to see it. Fill out our Partner With Us form and show us what you’re building next.
