October 15, 2024

New Lunar Lander and Rover Designs Needed for Artemis Program

NASA is turning to private industry to help design the next generation of lunar landers and vehicles for its Artemis moon missions. In September, NASA announced a request for proposals to address current deficiencies in lunar mobility and to enhance the logistics needed for future missions to the moon's surface.

"NASA relies on collaborations from diverse partners to develop its exploration architecture" and tap into the expertise of the commercial aerospace sector, said Nujoud Merancy, NASA's Deputy Associate Administrator.

The space agency has outlined its needs in two white papers. The Cargo Lander Architecture white paper highlights the necessity of delivering essential assets, equipment, and supplies to the moon's surface. While NASA's Human Landing System can transport some cargo, it cannot carry enough to support long-term lunar exploration. The proposed Cargo Lander would need to handle in-space transit and offloading on the lunar surface, providing power, communication, and safe handling for cargo.

The second white paper, Lunar Mobility Drivers and Needs, focuses on designing a lunar vehicle to support exploration of high-priority scientific and strategic sites. It emphasizes the need for efficient cargo transport on the moon's surface, as well as mobility for crews to maximize exploration efforts. The vehicle will need to move cargo from landing zones to where it's needed for mission support.

Currently, NASA can deliver around 1,500 kilograms of cargo to the lunar surface but aims to expand that capacity for future missions. To address this, NASA engineers at the Johnson Space Center are developing a lunar rover prototype, the Ground Test Unit, which is slated to be deployed during the Artemis V mission in 2030. NASA is collaborating with companies like Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost, and Venturi Astrolab on this project.

These advancements are crucial to establishing a sustainable lunar presence and supporting the long-term goals of the Artemis missions.