NASA has selected 3 teams to develop the Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) - Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost and Venturi Astrolab.
The 12-month feasibility task-order will be followed by down-selection to one vendor.
Rover-as-a-Service - vendor is responsible for DevOps and transportation to the moon’s south polar region.
Key req'ments – carry 2 suited astronauts, remote controlled uncrewed operation, robotic arm, operate in extreme temps at the lunar South Pole.
Some info on the companies selected for the NASA LTV contracts -
Intuitive Machines - Moon Reusable Autonomous Crewed Exploration Rover (RACER). Partners - AVL, Boeing, Michelin, Northrop Grumman.
Lunar Outpost - Lunar Dawn LTV . Partners - Lockheed Martin, General Motors, Goodyear, MDA Space.
Venturi Astrolab - Flexible Logistics and Exploration (FLEX). Partners - Axiom Space, Odyssey Space Research.
https://www.intuitivemachines.com/post/intuitive-machines-led-moon-racer-team-awarded-nasa-lunar-terrain-vehicle-contract-to-support-the-ag
https://www.lunaroutpost.com/post/lunar-dawn-team-awarded-nasa-lunar-terrain-vehicle-contract
https://www.venturi.com/en/news/venturi-astrolab-awarded-by-nasa/
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HOUSTON, TX—April 3, 2024 – NASA has awarded Intuitive Machines, Inc. (Nasdaq: LUNR, LUNRW) (“Intuitive Machines”) (“Company”) $30 million as a prime contractor to complete a Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services Feasibility Assessment. The contract tasks the Company’s global team with creating a feasibility roadmap to develop and deploy a Lunar Terrain Vehicle (“LTV”) on the Moon using Intuitive Machines’ Nova-D cargo-class lunar lander. The first phase award marks the Company’s entrance into human sp
Here is a video released by NASA today showcasing the planned NASA Artemis Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV).
The video was unveiled at the NASA news conference today at the Johnson Space Center in Houston to announce the companies selected to move forward in the development of the Lunar Terrain Vehicle.
https://youtu.be/ha5UDOg7A9U
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Video of the Lunar Dawn Lunar Terrain Vehicle, being developed by Lunar Outpost, Lockheed Martin, General Motors, Goodyear and MDA Space.
Concept video of the Astrolab FLEX Lunar Terrain Vehicle.
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