en.Wedoany.com Reported - NASA is advancing the development of the Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) to support its plans for building a large base near the Moon's south pole. Two companies, Astrolab and Lunar Outpost, are competing to provide this critical transportation capability to NASA by the end of 2027.

Last month, NASA selected Astrolab and Lunar Outpost to develop LTVs, which are scheduled for delivery next year. These two companies were among the three initial bidders for the LTV contract announced by NASA in 2024, which originally planned to select only one lunar rover.

NASA asked the companies to propose simpler designs that do not need to operate continuously on the lunar surface for a decade but can be ready in time for the first crewed Artemis landing, currently planned for early 2028.

Ryan Stephan, Acting Manager of the NASA Cargo Lander Program Office, stated that to avoid plume-surface interaction, the LTV will be kept approximately 2 kilometers away during the lander's touchdown. The LTV will drive in and rendezvous with the astronauts, performing missions up to about 10 kilometers during crewed operations, while accumulating a total distance of 400 kilometers over its entire uncrewed lifespan.

Astrobotic's Crewed Lunar Vehicle (CLV-1) draws on development experience from its future-oriented Flexible Logistics and Exploration (FLEX) rover and the smaller FLEX Lunar Innovation Platform (FLIP) rover. The FLEX can carry both personnel and cargo.

Jaret Matthews, CEO and Founder of Astrolab, stated that FLIP has served as a test platform for the LTV, so it is equipped with oversized tires, high-power wheel actuators, and large batteries—technologies that can be directly transferred to the CLV. While there is still much work ahead, the company has a solid foundation to build upon.

The FLIP rover is scheduled to launch on Astrobotic's Griffin-1 mission, which will deliver FLIP and other payloads to the Moon later this year. The lander and FLIP rover are undergoing final environmental testing, after which they will rendezvous at the Kennedy Space Center for integration and preparation for launch on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.

Lunar Outpost has similarly gained experience from developing the larger Eagle LTV and a series of smaller robotic rovers, such as the Mobile Autonomous Exploration Platform (MAPP). Its MAPP rover flew on Intuitive Machines' IM-2 mission in 2025 and will fly again with astronauts on the upcoming IM-3 mission and future Artemis missions.

Andrew 'AJ' Gemer, Co-Founder and CFO of Lunar Outpost, stated that this is part of the Artemis instrument deployment plan, where the astronaut team will have a lunar rover companion on the surface to assist and ensure safety. The company already has two static human-in-the-loop models, the Pegasus LTV, and the team is moving toward a more mature version.

Gemer noted that the LTV will be expanded into a full-scale drivable prototype used as an astronaut trainer. Astronauts will drive these vehicles in simulated lunar environments on Earth, while digital twins and simulation systems accurately model lunar conditions and vehicle dynamics under lunar gravity. The flight hardware will undergo a standard lunar mobility certification process and be delivered to NASA by November 2027.

Matthews stated that one of the key challenges the lander and rover must overcome is surviving the extreme cold of the Moon's completely dark environment, where temperatures can reach minus 400 degrees Fahrenheit. The FLIP rover is designed to withstand 100 hours of lunar night conditions, while the CLV-1 can endure 150 days of darkness. The approach includes equipping large onboard energy storage batteries, using them to keep equipment warm during nighttime hibernation while closing radiators; during the day, solar panels cover the radiators to limit nighttime radiation.

Under the new contract procurement, NASA decided to take control of launch and landing operations, selecting Blue Origin to handle both tasks. It will use the New Glenn rocket to carry the LTV and place it on Blue Origin's Blue Moon Mark 1 lander.

On May 28, the New Glenn rocket planned for the NG-4 mission exploded, destroying Blue Origin's only available launch pad. The company's CEO, Dave Limp, stated that the goal is to resume New Glenn launches from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida by the end of this year. The first Blue Moon Mk.1 cargo lander, originally scheduled for launch in late summer, will be delayed to early 2027.

Carlos García-Galán, Program Executive for NASA's Lunar Base Program, stated that the anomaly served as a wake-up call, and the team's focus is on understanding the cause, rebuilding infrastructure, and returning to normal operations. NASA will proceed with work in parallel and study different options for the lunar base and Artemis program to ensure no major delays to the mission.

This article is compiled by Wedoany. All AI citations must indicate the source as "Wedoany". If there is any infringement or other issues, please notify us promptly, and we will modify or delete it accordingly. Email: news@wedoany.com