The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has announced the selection of three companies to collaborate in the development of a new lunar terrain vehicle (LTV) that will be used by astronauts during the Artemis missions on the Moon. Among the selected companies are Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost and Venturi Astrolab, each assigned with the task of improving the capabilities of the LTV to facilitate the mobility of astronauts on the lunar surface during upcoming expeditions.
This represents an effort by NASA to leverage the experience and knowledge of the private industry in the development of space technology. The intention is to develop commercial capabilities that not only support the Artemis missions, but also long-term scientific and human exploration on the Moon, with an eye toward future missions to Mars.
The main objective of this collaboration is to initiate the development of the Artemis generation lunar exploration vehicle, which is expected to significantly increase the ability of astronauts to carry out scientific research and explore hitherto inaccessible terrain. According to statements by Vanessa Wyche, director of the Johnson Space Center of the POT In Houston, This vehicle is expected to become an essential tool for exploration and science on the lunar surface.
The milestone-based Lunar Land Vehicle Services contract with fixed-price task orders has a combined maximum potential value of $4.6 billion for all awards. Each selected company will begin with a feasibility task order, which will consist of a year-long special study aimed at developing a system that meets NASA's rigorous requirements.
The space agency plans to issue a task order request for proposal to eligible vendors for a subsequent demonstration mission. This mission will allow us to continue with the development of the LTV, deploy it on the lunar surface and validate its performance and safety before being used in manned missions. It is anticipated that NASA will award the award to a single vendor to conduct this demonstration.
LTV will allow you to explore inaccessible places on the Moon
Features that the LTV is expected to have include the ability to withstand the extreme conditions of the Moon's South Pole, advanced technologies for energy management, autonomous driving, and next-generation navigation and communications systems. Besides, the vehicle is expected to be capable of transporting scientific equipment and collect samples from the lunar surface, thus allowing greater scientific returns.
During periods when there are no crews on the Moon, the LTV will be operated remotely to support NASA science objectives as needed. Outside of these periods, companies will have the option to use their LTV for commercial activities on the lunar surface that are not related to NASA missions.
Jacob Bleacher, chief exploration scientist at the Exploration Systems Development Missions Directorate at NASA headquarters in Washington, commented that the use of LTV will allow exploration of places otherwise inaccessible, thus increasing the ability to make scientific discoveries on the Moon.
NASA provided the technical requirements, capabilities and safety standards necessary for the development and operations of the LTV, and the selected companies agreed to meet the agency's key requirements. This collaboration is expected to mark a major milestone in human space exploration and lays the foundation for future expeditions to the Moon and beyond.
#NASA #selects #companies #vehicle #Artemis #astronauts #Moon
