en.Wedoany.com Reported - NASA has selected Venturi Astrolab as one of the suppliers for two crewed lunar rovers under its Artemis program, aiming to make lunar surface mobility part of infrastructure. This task order falls under NASA's Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services program, with a total contract value of up to $4.6 billion. Astrolab's task order is valued at approximately $219 million, and its CLV-1 lunar rover, derived from the company's existing FLEX platform, is targeted for deployment by 2028. The rover will support astronaut transport, remote operations, and sustained lunar surface activities.
NASA awarded the contract after revising its lunar mobility strategy through the Ignition initiative. This initiative aims to accelerate timelines and reduce vehicle scale requirements, encouraging faster deployment. Astrolab's response was to adapt its existing FLEX rover architecture into a vehicle more focused on crew transport and operational support. The CLV-1 retains the basic design principles of FLEX but narrows its mission scope, prioritizing astronaut transport and operational efficiency.
From a technical specifications perspective, the deployed CLV-1 vehicle is approximately 4 meters long, weighs 950 kilograms, and can travel at speeds of about 10 kilometers per hour on flat lunar terrain. The vehicle has remote operation capabilities, enabling robotic autonomous use between crewed missions. Its storage configuration allows it to adapt to the delivery systems of the Commercial Lunar Payload Services, unfolding and expanding into a larger operational footprint upon reaching the moon.
Astrolab's selected team combines the expertise of multiple companies in mobility, operations, software, spacesuits, and extreme environment systems. Axiom Space is responsible for extravehicular activity integration and crew interfaces, Interlune supports lunar operational capabilities, Odyssey Space Research provides spacecraft software and systems engineering, and Venturi Space contributes wheel systems, batteries, and battery management technology adapted to harsh lunar conditions.
Operating on the lunar surface presents extreme technical challenges. Temperature fluctuations are severe, lunar dust is abrasive, and the lack of an atmosphere imposes constraints on heat dissipation. The vehicle's battery system must withstand extreme temperatures, wheel technology must avoid excessive sinking, and electronics need to be resistant to radiation and adapted to vacuum conditions. Technologies accumulated in these projects, such as electric drivetrain management, lightweight materials, advanced autonomy, and energy storage optimization, are also reshaping fields like construction equipment, mining fleets, and off-road transportation on Earth.
NASA's broader lunar base planning now encompasses multiple elements including landers, cargo systems, robotic deployment, and surface transportation. These systems work together in a phased architecture, aiming for multiple missions and permanent capability growth at the lunar south pole. Surface vehicles act as capability multipliers, expanding scientific reach, reducing astronaut fatigue, supporting maintenance activities, and deploying future assets. Every kilometer traveled increases the value extracted per dollar spent.
Astrolab founder and CEO Jaret Matthews said: "We are honored that NASA has selected Astrolab to help provide the surface mobility that astronauts will need when the Artemis program returns humans to the moon. The CLV-1 reflects the adaptability of our FLEX architecture and the years of testing our team has already completed. We look forward to applying these efforts for Artemis astronauts and helping establish a lasting human presence on the moon."
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