what’s new
NASA has successfully completed the first round of testing of three Lunar Terrain Vehicles (LTVs) designed to support its Artemis campaign, which aims to return humans to the Moon by 2027.
Developed by Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost and Venturi Astrolab, the vehicles are undergoing rigorous evaluation at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Testing began in October and ended in December using static mock-ups of the vehicles in the Active Response Gravity Offload System (ARGOS), which simulates the low-gravity environment of the Moon.
“This is the first major test milestone under the Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services contract, and the delivery of actual rovers just four months after these companies were awarded is remarkable,” said Steve Munday, NASA’s Lunar Terrain Vehicle project manager.
Bill Stafford/NASA
Why it matters
The goal of the Artemis program is to land astronauts at the moon’s south pole, allowing them to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before.
NASA’s current goal is to put humans on the moon by 2027, more than 50 years after the last astronauts visited Earth’s nearest neighbor.
Beyond just reaching the moon, NASA, other space agencies and private entities have plans to build a permanent presence on the moon in the form of lunar bases.
LTVs will be essential for transporting astronauts, equipment and scientific instruments across the harsh lunar terrain.
What to know
During testing, NASA astronauts and engineers donned two types of spacesuits: NASA’s Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit (xEMU) planetary prototype and Axiom Space’s Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit lunar spacesuit.
While suspended in ARGOS, which simulates conditions at one-sixth Earth’s gravity, the astronauts evaluated various aspects of the LTV designs.
Crews performed tasks such as stowing instruments, deploying scientific payloads, and handling cargo.
The researchers also analyzed how easily astronauts can enter and exit the rovers and operate controls while wearing bulky spacesuit gloves.
Crew members also practiced rescuing incapacitated astronauts, a critical requirement for the LTV design.
“We are excited to have mockups from all three commercial LTV providers here at Johnson Space Center,” Munday said.
Josh Valcarcel/NASA
What will happen next?
Testing represents a key milestone in the development of LTV, but the journey is far from over.
The three companies behind the new rovers will continue to work on their designs, incorporating NASA feedback to prepare for a preliminary design review. By 2025, NASA plans to issue a task order for a demonstration mission to test LTV capabilities on the lunar surface.
The LTVs are designed for use during Artemis V to support manned lunar operations while NASA builds the foundation for future Mars missions.
Artemis will bring the next wave of explorers to the moon, including international astronauts and the first women.
