3 companies set to advance NASA’s new lunar rover design

NASA has embarked on an exciting venture with three aerospace companies, offering them a chance to craft the future lunar rover. Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost, and Venturi Astrolab are at the helm of designing durable vehicles for astronaut exploration on the moon’s surface. The selection process for these lunar terrain vehicles (LTVs) is set to intensify over the next year.

During a year-long “feasibility phase,” each team will refine their designs, leading up to a crucial preliminary review. Following this, NASA will issue a competitive request for proposals, narrowing down to one final design for a demonstration task order. The winning design will not only be tasked with the vehicle’s creation but also its delivery to the moon before the Artemis V mission, anticipated to launch no sooner than 2029.

Though financial details were largely undisclosed, Intuitive Machines revealed receiving a $30 million contract, with the total value of potential orders reaching up to $4.6 billion over 13 years. Each team’s vehicle specifications remain under wraps, but NASA has outlined a demand for a decade-long lifespan and the ability to transport two astronauts.

The teams bring together an impressive consortium of expertise: Intuitive Machines with AVL, Boeing, Michelin, and Northrop Grumman; Lunar Outpost’s “Lunar Dawn” with Lockheed Martin, General Motors, Goodyear, and MDA Space; and Astrolab with Axiom Space and Odyssey Space Research.

This initiative is part of NASA’s broader Artemis program, aiming for a sustained human presence on the moon. The lunar south pole’s challenging conditions necessitate robust vehicles for exploration and science. Vanessa Wyche of NASA’s Johnson Space Center describes the vision as a blend of Apollo-era rovers and autonomous science platforms. The rovers will enable astronauts to conduct scientific research, sample lunar soil, and venture beyond walking distances. Moreover, these vehicles will offer remote operation capabilities, enhancing lunar exploration and assisting future astronaut missions.

This endeavor underlines NASA’s commitment to expanding human understanding and presence on the moon, heralding a new era of lunar exploration where, as noted, “there are no roads, but mobility will fundamentally change our view of the moon.”