Moon News  
MOON DAILY
NASA prompts companies for Artemis Lunar Terrain Vehicle Solutions
by Staff Writers
Houston TX (SPX) Sep 01, 2021

The LTV is part of the agency's lunar surface sustainability concept, which calls for building an Artemis Base Camp at the lunar South Pole and includes other infrastructure to support long-term exploration of the Moon with astronauts including a surface habitat, pressurized rover, power, and much more.

NASA is asking American companies for additional input on approaches and solutions for a vehicle to transport Artemis astronauts around the lunar South Pole later this decade. The lunar terrain vehicle (LTV), an unenclosed rover that astronauts can drive on the Moon while wearing their spacesuits, will need to last at least 10 years, spanning multiple Artemis missions.

Through a request for information, NASA is addressing challenges associated with the LTV's lifetime, including surviving the long, cold lunar night and options to transport the vehicle to the lunar surface. Responses to the RFI are due Oct. 1.

"Most people do a lot of research before buying a car," said Nathan Howard, project manager for the LTV at NASA's Johnson Space Center. "We're doing extensive research for a modern space vehicle that will be provided by industry. As we plan for long-term exploration of the Moon, the LTV won't be your grandfather's Moon Buggy used during the Apollo missions."

NASA is asking if American companies are interested in providing the LTV as a commercial service, or as a product NASA would purchase and own. Working with industry to inform the LTV design for Artemis is part of an expansion of commercial partnerships from low-Earth orbit to the Moon. The agency successfully uses commercial partnership model today for crew and cargo transportation services in low-Earth orbit and similarly plans to buy astronaut transportation services for Artemis surface missions.

The next-generation LTV will greatly expand human reach and scientific activity on the Moon for future surface missions - even farther than Apollo. The LTV RFI invites industry to provide information to help shape the evolution of the Artemis mobility plans and ultimately achieve the greatest scientific and exploration value across at least a decade of missions.

"We are trying to encourage advances in electric vehicle capabilities that could result in the most capable rover ever built," said Howard. "The Artemis LTV will be the ultimate terrain vehicle, with advanced power management, autonomous driving, and extreme environment technologies." The LTV could also be teleoperated to transport cargo or science payloads between crew missions, enabling significant science returns by combining the best of human and robotic exploration.

The original lunar roving vehicle (LRV), or more commonly called a Moon Buggy, was introduced on the Apollo 15 mission. The LRV allowed astronauts to explore miles of diverse geological features, increasing the scientific return of each new mission, and collecting more than 10 times the number of samples on Apollo 17 than on foot during Apollo 11.

NASA previously sought industry input in early 2020, encouraging companies to identify the latest innovations in electric vehicles that could be applied or developed for LTV. The feedback from both RFIs will inform the agency's future commercial solicitation strategy for the LTV.

The LTV is part of the agency's lunar surface sustainability concept, which calls for building an Artemis Base Camp at the lunar South Pole and includes other infrastructure to support long-term exploration of the Moon with astronauts including a surface habitat, pressurized rover, power, and much more.

Video: Get in Astronaut, We're Going Exploring


Related Links
Artemis Program
Mars News and Information at MarsDaily.com
Lunar Dreams and more


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


MOON DAILY
Intuitive Machines selects MDA lunar landing sensors to support moon mission
Toronto, Canada (SPX) Aug 25, 2021
MDA Ltd has signed an agreement with Intuitive Machines, LLC to provide Lunar landing sensors to support its upcoming IM-1 and IM-2 missions. As a result, MDA landing sensors will support the first soft landing US mission to the Moon since 1972, scheduled for early 2022. MDA landing sensors will also support the first ever mining mission to the South pole of the Moon in late 2022. Intuitive Machines was selected as part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. These CLPS mission ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

MOON DAILY
NASA plans yearlong Mars simulation to test limits of isolation

NASA's Perseverance Rover obtains first rock core

NASA's Mars simulation hopefuls face tough application process

The forecast for Mars? Otherworldly weather predictions

MOON DAILY
Titan-in-a-glass experiments hint at mineral makeup of Saturn moon

Saturn makes waves in its own rings

Dragonfly mission to Titan announces big science goals

Icequakes likely rumble along geyser-spitting fractures in Saturn's icy moon Enceladus

MOON DAILY
A few steps closer to Europa: spacecraft hardware makes headway

Juno joins Japan's Hisaki satellite and Keck Observatory to solve "energy crisis" on Jupiter

Hubble finds first evidence of water vapor on Ganymede

NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for the Europa Clipper Mission

MOON DAILY
State of Russia's ISS segment sparks safety concerns

NASA welcomes new Russian commitment to space station

US grounds Virgin Galactic after trajectory issue

ESA at the 36th Space Symposium

MOON DAILY
Striking Gold: A Pathway to Stable, High-Activity Catalysts from Gold Nanoclusters

Tracking the movement of a single nanoparticle

Researchers demonstrate technique for recycling nanowires in electronics

Custom-made MIT tool probes materials at the nanoscale

MOON DAILY
Firefly Aerospace rocket Alpha explodes after California liftoff

Inspiration4 crew will conduct health research during three day mission

Application of fission-powered spacecraft in solar system exploration missions

DLR Lampoldshausen prepares P5 test stand for the technologies of the future

MOON DAILY
Space exploration priority of nation's sci-tech agenda

New extravehicular pump ensures stable operation of China's space station

Chinese astronauts out of spacecraft for second time EVA

China's astronauts make spacewalk to upgrade robotic arm

MOON DAILY
D-Orbit signs with HyImpulse Technologies for EU mission

NASA's Deep Space Network looks to the future

3D-printed lunar floor

New augmented reality applications assist astronaut repairs to Space Station









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.