Tag

Lunar Rover

All articles tagged with #lunar rover

technology15 days ago•6 min saved

Robotic lunar rovers move into Artemis 4 prep to bolster Moon Base mobility

NASA selected Astrolab and Lunar Outpost to develop two crewed lunar terrain vehicles (CLV-1 and Pegasus) aimed at deployment by 2027 to support Artemis 4 and early Moon Base operations. The LTVs will operate about 2 km from landers, can conduct missions up to 10 km away during crewed phases, and collectively cover up to 400 km over their lifetimes. The effort complements the FLIP rover and Griffin-1 lander, with Lunar Outpost and Astrolab progressing toward full-scale prototypes and flight hardware. Surviving the Moon’s frigid nights (down to ~-400°F) relies on onboard energy storage and radiator strategies, including using solar arrays to shield radiators. A major hurdle remains launch access, as NASA shifts to an launch-vehicle-agnostic approach after Blue Origin’s New Glenn setbacks and a blast gate delayed schedules, with resumption expected in late 2026 to early 2027.

via Spaceflight Now|

#artemis-program #astrolab #lunar-outpost

space24 days ago•6 min saved

NASA field-tests agile ERNEST rover to enable long-range Moon and Mars missions

NASA's JPL is field-testing ERNEST, an Exploration Rover for Navigating Extreme Sloped Terrain, to refine mobility and autonomous navigation for future long-range lunar and Mars missions. In March 2026 in the Colorado Desert, the four-wheeled prototype drove about 16 miles (37 hours) with minimal intervention, using active suspension (with a passive mode) and a gimbaled front to handle rugged terrain. The rover is being trained with reinforcement learning in a high-fidelity simulator before autonomous, longer-range lunar testing, aiming to reach speeds far beyond current rovers like Perseverance and Curiosity.

via NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) (.gov)|

#autonomy #ernest #jpl

technology1 month ago•4 min saved

Astrolab Secures NASA Crewed Lunar Rover Contract for Artemis Return

NASA has selected Astrolab as one of two providers to develop the Crewed Lunar Vehicle (CLV-1), a rover designed to transport astronauts and supplies for Artemis missions to the lunar south pole, with a delivery target by 2028 under a roughly $219 million task order. CLV-1, based on Astrolab’s FLEX architecture and leveraging Venturi Space powertrain tech, weighs up to 950 kg, can reach about 10 km/h on the Moon, and will support crewed operations as well as some remote robotic tasks, with future CLV variants planned. The rover will be built with partners Axiom Space, Interlune, and Odyssey Space Research under NASA’s Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services program, marking a step toward sustained lunar surface mobility and a future lunar economy.

via Business Wire|

#artemis #astrolab #clv-1

space1 month ago•4 min saved

NASA bets on lunar rovers to enable Artemis base by 2028

NASA awarded about $220 million to Lunar Outpost and Astrolab to build two 1-ton lunar terrain vehicles capable of carrying two astronauts and climbing 20-degree slopes, with one rover ready for Artemis IV in 2028; Blue Origin received up to $468 million to transport the rovers to the Moon, and Firefly Aerospace got $75 million to deploy four reconnaissance drones for the lunar south pole.

via The New York Times|

#artemis #blue-origin #lunar-rover

science3 months ago•18 min saved

CSA Axes Canadian Lunar Rover, Reallocates Funds in 2026–27 Plan

Canada's Space Agency's 2026–27 Departmental Plan terminates Canadensys Aerospace's Lunar Rover Mission (approved in 2022, to launch in 2029) as part of budget tightening. The plan includes about $6.66 million in reductions for 2026–27 and $14.36 million by 2028–29, with around 45 full-time positions cut, reallocating funds to other lunar initiatives (notably the Lunar Utility Vehicle) and Earth observation while maintaining a large overall CSA budget and continuing Artemis/space-science programs.

via SpaceQ|

#2026-27-departmental-plan #canadensys-aerospace #canadian-space-agency

space-exploration9 months ago•2 min saved

Blue Origin to Deliver NASA's VIPER Rover to the Moon's South Pole

NASA's lunar water-hunting rover VIPER, initially canceled due to delays, will now be delivered to the Moon by Blue Origin in 2027 as part of a new partnership, ensuring continued exploration of lunar water resources crucial for future human missions.

via Gizmodo|

#blue-origin #lunar-rover #moon

space9 months ago•3 min saved

Blue Origin to land NASA's VIPER rover on the Moon in 2027

NASA awarded Blue Origin a sole-source contract to deliver the VIPER lunar rover to the moon's south pole using the Blue Moon Mark 1 lander, after a competitive process where only Blue Origin submitted a proposal, reviving a previously canceled mission and highlighting the challenges in lunar delivery options.

via SpaceNews|

#blue-origin #clps #lunar-rover

space9 months ago•3 min saved

NASA's VIPER Lunar Rover to Launch on Blue Origin Land in 2027

NASA has revived its VIPER lunar rover mission by awarding Blue Origin a $190 million contract to deliver the rover to the moon's south pole in 2027 using the Blue Moon Mark 1 lander, marking a strategic shift after previous cancellation concerns, and supporting lunar water exploration.

via SpaceNews|

#blue-origin #lunar-rover #moon-mission

space-exploration10 months ago•6 min saved

Canada Unveils First Lunar Rover, Paving the Way for Future Space Missions

Canada's Canadensys Aerospace is developing its first lunar rover, set to launch around 2029 as part of NASA's Artemis program, aiming to explore water sources and radiation on the Moon's south pole, marking a significant step in Canadian space exploration and technology.

via BBC|

#canada #lunar-rover #moon-exploration

space1 year ago•3 min saved

Venturi Space Unveils European Lunar Rover Mona Luna

Venturi Space unveiled Mona Luna, an all-European lunar rover designed for exploration and potential mining, featuring advanced suspension, steering, and thermal management systems, aiming to fill Europe's gap in lunar exploration capabilities and seeking support from ESA.

via SpaceNews|

#european-space-agency #lunar-exploration #lunar-rover

space-exploration1 year ago•2 min saved

China's Ambitious Moon Mission: Egg-Shaped Habitats by 2030

China plans to land astronauts on the moon by 2030, as detailed in a video released by the China Manned Space Agency. The mission will involve two launches of the Long March 10 rocket, sending a crewed spacecraft and a lunar landing stack into orbit, where they will dock before astronauts descend to the lunar surface. The video showcases tests on lunar hardware, including a rover and extravehicular suits, and highlights the expansion of the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center to accommodate the mission.

via Space.com|

#china #long-march-10 #lunar-rover

technology1 year ago•1 min saved

SpaceX Secures Key Lunar Lander Contracts with NASA and Lunar Outpost

SpaceX has signed its second commercial contract to deliver a payload to the moon using its Starship lunar lander, this time with Lunar Outpost. The deal involves transporting Lunar Outpost's rover, Eagle, to the lunar surface by 2029. This follows Lunar Outpost's selection by NASA for the lunar terrain vehicle program, which could be worth up to $4.6 billion over 13 years. Despite uncertainties about the mission specifics and NASA's final selection, Lunar Outpost plans to continue developing its rover, supported by a recent Series A funding round.

via TechCrunch|

#lunar-outpost #lunar-rover #nasa

space-exploration1 year ago•4 min saved

NASA Advances VIPER Lunar Rover with Earth-Based Tests

NASA is evaluating the future of its VIPER lunar rover mission, which was canceled in July due to anticipated cost overruns and delays. The agency is reviewing responses to a request for information (RFI) seeking alternative uses for the nearly complete rover. Despite successful environmental tests, VIPER's launch was delayed to no earlier than September 2025 on Astrobotic's Griffin lander. NASA is considering partnerships and may propose next steps by early 2025, while Congress could potentially intervene to revive the mission.

via SpaceNews|

#astrobotic #lunar-rover #mission-cancellation

spacetechnology2 years ago•3 min saved

"Private Companies Chosen by NASA to Develop Lunar Rovers for Artemis Missions"

NASA selected three companies, Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost, and Venturi Astrolab, to continue work on an Artemis lunar rover based on a balance of cost, capabilities, and experience. The agency evaluated nine proposals and deemed six as unacceptable or not evaluated. Each selected company received a task order to fund design work leading up to a preliminary design review. Despite concerns about one company's ability to carry out the work, NASA ultimately approved contracts for all three companies, with plans to select only one for a task order to develop and demonstrate its rover after completion of the preliminary design reviews.

via SpaceNews|

#artemis-program #lunar-rover #mission-suitability

space-exploration2 years ago•4 min saved

"Japan and NASA Collaborate for Historic Moon Landing Mission"

Japan and NASA have signed an agreement for Japan to contribute a pressurized lunar rover called Lunar Cruiser to the Artemis lunar exploration campaign, with NASA providing two seats on future Artemis lunar landing missions to Japanese astronauts. The rover is expected to be delivered to the moon ahead of the Artemis 7 mission, and will support extended expeditions from landing sites. The agreement marks Japan as the first nation after the United States to land an astronaut on the moon, and is part of broader international collaboration in lunar exploration.

via SpaceNews|

#artemis #japan #lunar-rover