CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – NASA has chosen three companies to collaborate on the development of lunar rover concepts intended to enhance future Artemis missions and scientific explorations on the Moon.
The selected teams, led by Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost, and Venturi Astrolab, will work under the Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services contract, tasked with designing and building rovers for astronauts during Artemis missions, starting with Artemis 5 by the end of the decade. These companies will offer the rovers to NASA as a service, similar to how the agency is acquiring spacesuits and lunar landers.
The Lunar Terrain Vehicle is designed not only to transport astronauts across the lunar surface but also to be teleoperated for conducting scientific investigations during periods when astronauts are not present. NASA envisions a hybrid of the Apollo-style lunar rover and an uncrewed mobile science platform to support research, exploration, and data collection on the Moon.
Intuitive Machines leads the Moon RACER team, featuring partners from the automotive industry such as AVL and Michelin, as well as aerospace giants like Boeing and Northrop Grumman. They plan to deliver the rover on a Nova-D lander, an upgraded version of the Nova-C lander that successfully landed on the Moon in February.
Lunar Outpost, a startup working on small robotic rovers, leads the Lunar Dawn team with collaborators including Lockheed Martin, MDA Space, General Motors, and Goodyear. Lockheed and MDA Space will contribute expertise in spacecraft design and robotics, GM will provide battery and automotive technologies, and Goodyear will offer tire solutions.
Venturi Astrolab is developing the FLEX rover, which they intend to send to the Moon on a SpaceX Starship mission in late 2026. Partnering with Axiom Space and Odyssey Space Research, Venturi Astrolab aims to provide innovative solutions for lunar exploration and scientific research.
The companies remain tight-lipped about specific technical details of their rover designs, emphasizing ongoing refinements and evaluations of various subsystems. Each team is focused on exceeding NASA’s requirements and expectations for the Lunar Terrain Vehicle contract. With an emphasis on competition and innovation, NASA seeks to enhance lunar science by leveraging advancements in mobility and technology through the LTV program.
The overall LTV Services contract has a maximum value of $4.6 billion over 15 years, with initial task orders issued to the selected teams for feasibility studies and design reviews. NASA plans to select one company for a demonstration task order to finalize the rover’s development and deployment to the lunar surface for testing ahead of Artemis 5.
As NASA continues its efforts to engage commercial partners for lunar exploration, the agency remains open to future competitions and collaborations to drive innovation and expand capabilities for future missions to the Moon. The LTV program represents a significant step forward in advancing lunar science and exploration, enabling astronauts and robotic operations to uncover new insights and discoveries on the Moon’s surface.