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NASA’s Artemis Missions: A Look at Potential Lunar Terrain Vehicles

NASA’s Artemis Missions: A Look at Potential Lunar Terrain Vehicles

NASA’s Artemis program aims to return humans to the Moon by 2024, and eventually establish a sustainable human presence there. But getting around on the lunar surface will require a new kind of vehicle. To address this need, NASA has chosen three companies to develop lunar terrain vehicles (LTVs).

These LTVs will be crucial for transporting astronauts and cargo across the Moon’s rugged terrain. They will need to be capable of operating in a harsh environment with extreme temperatures, abrasive dust, and radiation. The LTVs can be crewed or uncrewed, depending on the mission requirements.

NASA plans to begin using the LTVs in 2030, and the winning company will receive a contract worth up to $4.6 billion. The three companies chosen to develop LTVs are:

  • Lockheed Martin: Lockheed Martin has proposed a pressurized rover called the Lunar Exploration Transportation Vehicle (LETTV). The LETTV would be able to carry up to four astronauts and would have a range of up to 100 kilometers.
  • Dynetics: Dynetics has proposed a rover called the Multi-Mission Lunar Rover (MMLR). The MMLR would be a hybrid electric vehicle that could carry up to four astronauts or 1,100 pounds of cargo.
  • Northrop Grumman: Northrop Grumman has proposed a lunar lander called the Terrain Access Vehicle (TAV). The TAV would be designed to land and take off from the lunar surface, and could carry up to two astronauts and 1,500 pounds of cargo.

The development of these LTVs is an important step forward in NASA’s plans to return to the Moon and establish a long-term presence there. These vehicles will give astronauts the ability to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before, and will help to lay the foundation for future lunar exploration.

NASA’s Artemis Missions: A Look at Potential Lunar Terrain Vehicles

NASA’s Artemis Missions: A Look at Potential Lunar Terrain Vehicles

NASA’s Artemis program aims to return humans to the Moon by 2024, and eventually establish a sustainable human presence there. But getting around on the lunar surface will require a new kind of vehicle. To address this need, NASA has chosen three companies to develop lunar terrain vehicles (LTVs).

These LTVs will be crucial for transporting astronauts and cargo across the Moon’s rugged terrain. They will need to be capable of operating in a harsh environment with extreme temperatures, abrasive dust, and radiation. The LTVs can be crewed or uncrewed, depending on the mission requirements.

NASA plans to begin using the LTVs in 2030, and the winning company will receive a contract worth up to $4.6 billion. The three companies chosen to develop LTVs are:

  • Lockheed Martin: Lockheed Martin has proposed a pressurized rover called the Lunar Exploration Transportation Vehicle (LETTV). The LETTV would be able to carry up to four astronauts and would have a range of up to 100 kilometers.
  • Dynetics: Dynetics has proposed a rover called the Multi-Mission Lunar Rover (MMLR). The MMLR would be a hybrid electric vehicle that could carry up to four astronauts or 1,100 pounds of cargo.
  • Northrop Grumman: Northrop Grumman has proposed a lunar lander called the Terrain Access Vehicle (TAV). The TAV would be designed to land and take off from the lunar surface, and could carry up to two astronauts and 1,500 pounds of cargo.

The development of these LTVs is an important step forward in NASA’s plans to return to the Moon and establish a long-term presence there. These vehicles will give astronauts the ability to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before, and will help to lay the foundation for future lunar exploration.