NASA aims to build a large Moon Base near the lunar south pole, and this depends on moving astronauts properly. Currently, two companies, Astrolab and Lunar Outpost, are competing to create lunar vehicles to help NASA by the end of 2027.
Last month, NASA chose these two companies to develop lunar terrain vehicles (LTVs). Originally, three companies were in the race for one contract, but NASA decided to simplify the design. The new vehicles will not need to last a decade on the Moon; they should be ready for the Artemis program’s first crewed landing, planned for early 2028.
Astrobotic is developing the Crewed Lunar Vehicle (CLV-1), which will carry humans and cargo. Astrolab’s CEO mentioned that they have a strong foundation from previous work that can help with the CLV. Lunar Outpost is focusing on its Pegasus rover, learning from their smaller robotic rovers. Their rover will assist astronauts, allowing for human-robot interaction on the Moon.
Both companies face challenges, including surviving extreme cold temperatures during lunar nights, which can drop to about -400 degrees Fahrenheit. They plan to use onboard energy storage to keep the vehicles warm during this time.
A major concern is getting these vehicles to the Moon. NASA has selected Blue Origin to manage the launch, using their New Glenn rocket, after other options faced setbacks due to a recent explosion at their launch site. NASA is working on solutions to prevent delays in their Moon Base missions.
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