NASA’s Moon Base Plan Adds Two Rovers for Its Astronauts
The New York Times • • technology
Key Points:
- NASA has awarded contracts worth about $220 million each to Lunar Outpost and Venturi Astrolab to develop modern lunar rovers for upcoming moon missions.
- The new lunar terrain vehicles (L.T.V.s) will be more advanced than the Apollo-era moon buggies, weighing around one metric ton, capable of driving on 20-degree slopes, and able to carry two astronauts.
- These rovers will have autonomous driving capabilities and can also be remotely operated from Earth when astronauts are not present.
- NASA aims to have at least one rover ready for the Artemis IV mission, potentially landing on the moon by 2028, accelerating previous timelines that expected readiness by 2030.
- The current rover designs are more modest compared to earlier proposals that included features like robotic arms and higher speeds, reflecting a shift from a long-term rental concept to more immediate mission needs.