Current:Home > InvestArtemis astronauts will need a lunar terrain vehicle on the moon. NASA is set to reveal the designer -NextFrontier Finance
Artemis astronauts will need a lunar terrain vehicle on the moon. NASA is set to reveal the designer
View
Date:2025-04-13 12:45:47
For the first time in five decades, American astronauts are on the cusp of returning to the moon.
NASA's Artemis missions, the first lunar program since the Apollo era, aims to send astronauts back to the moon ahead of the larger goal of one day reaching Mars. And when the day comes in about two years that those intrepid explorers make it to the lunar surface, they'll need a vehicle that can help them navigate the celestial body's crater-pocked terrain.
NASA will reveal the companies that will be involved in designing that vehicle during a Wednesday afternoon press conference.
The announcement will be widely available for the public to view. Here's how to watch, and what to know about the historic Artemis lunar missions ahead.
Solar eclipse:NASA is launching 3 sounding rockets into space during the total solar eclipse
Why NASA needs a lunar terrain vehicle
NASA began seeking proposals in May for a next-generation lunar terrain vehicle (LTV) to help astronauts traverse and transport cargo across the moon's unexplored south polar region during upcoming Artemis missions.
The vehicle, which would be used for crewed operations beginning with Artemis V in 2029, is intended to be a cross between an Apollo-era lunar rover and an uncrewed Mars rover like Perseverance or Curiosity, NASA said. Giving the vehicle robotic, remote operation capabilities will allow for scientific tests and exploration to continue even when astronauts are not present on the moon, according to NASA.
NASA had asked companies to create proposed designs that accommodate two suited astronauts and include a robotic arm or other mechanism. The vehicle will also need to be able to survive the extreme temperatures of the lunar south pole, a region where water ice is thought to be abundant.
Water ice in the region would not only help sustain astronauts on the surface, but it also would be a source of hydrogen and oxygen for rocket fuel as NASA looks ahead to missions to Mars.
“We want to leverage industry’s knowledge and innovation, combined with NASA’s history of successfully operating rovers, to make the best possible surface rover for our astronaut crews and scientific researchers,” Lara Kearney, manager of NASA’s Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility program, previously said in a statement.
How to watch NASA's lunar vehicle announcement
The televised event will take place at 4 p.m. EST Wednesday at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
The news conference will air live on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, and the U.S. space agency’s website.
A live stream of the event will also be available on NASA's official YouTube channel.
Watch it here:
Astronauts will return to moon as part of Artemis missions
In previous years, NASA and space agencies in other nations have once again set their sights on the moon in a renewed interest in reaching the lunar surface.
For the United States, American astronauts have not set foot on the moon since the last Apollo mission in 1972. NASA's Artemis program hopes to get the nation back to the moon to establish a base of operations ahead of crewed trips to Mars.
NASA had intended to launch its Artemis II astronauts into orbit by the end of the year on a 10-day trip circumnavigating the moon, ahead of a moon landing itself a year later for Artemis III. But the Artemis program missions have since been delayed by at least a year after NASA encountered a slew of issues, including a battery flaw on the vehicle that will ferry astronauts to the moon.
In the meantime, preparations have continued to ensure the program stays on track.
In February, Houston-based Intuitive Machines became the first private company to ever land an uncrewed spacecraft on the moon's surface. NASA, which was the primary customer for the mission, paid a hefty sum to have a payload of scientific instruments included aboard the lander to collect data that will help the agency prepare for its own lunar missions.
And in mid-March, SpaceX conducted its most successful test yet of the Starship rocket that will one day ferry U.S. astronauts to the moon's surface. NASA had awarded the company a $2.9 billion contract in 2021 to develop the first commercial human lander for its Artemis III mission.
Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected]
veryGood! (7)
Related
- The FBI should have done more to collect intelligence before the Capitol riot, watchdog finds
- Ex-leaders of Penn State frat where pledge died after night of drinking plead guilty to misdemeanors
- Video tutorial: How to use Apple Maps, Google Maps to help you find a good dinner spot
- American doubles specialists Ram, Krajicek shock Spanish superstars Nadal, Alcaraz
- Apple iOS 18.2: What to know about top features, including Genmoji, AI updates
- Evy Leibfarth 'very proud' after winning Olympic bronze in canoe slalom
- Kamala Harris, Megyn Kelly and why the sexist attacks are so dangerous
- Rob Lowe teases a 'St. Elmo's Fire' sequel: 'We've met with the studio'
- The company planning a successor to Concorde makes its first supersonic test
- Alabama, civic groups spar over law restricting assistance with absentee ballot applications
Ranking
- How to watch new prequel series 'Dexter: Original Sin': Premiere date, cast, streaming
- 'We have to get this photo!': Nebraska funnel cloud creates epic wedding picture backdrop
- 'Black Swan murder trial' verdict: Ashley Benefield found guilty of manslaughter
- Lawmaker posts rare win for injured workers — and pushes for more
- Tarte Shape Tape Concealer Sells Once Every 4 Seconds: Get 50% Off Before It's Gone
- West Virginia school ordered to remain open after effort to close it due to toxic groundwater fears
- When does 'Emily in Paris' Season 4 come out? Premiere date, cast, trailer
- Inmate identified as white supremacist gang leader among 3 killed in Nevada prison brawl
Recommendation
Most popular books of the week: See what topped USA TODAY's bestselling books list
Sonya Massey made multiple 911 calls for mental health crises in days before police shot her at home
Olympic track & field begins with 20km race walk. Why event is difficult?
Chicago woman of viral 'green dress girl' fame sparks discourse over proper club attire
McConnell absent from Senate on Thursday as he recovers from fall in Capitol
BBC Journalist’s Daughter Killed in Crossbow Attack Texted for Help in Last Moments
Squid Game Season 2 First Look and Premiere Date Revealed—and Simon Says You're Not Ready
University of California president to step down after five years marked by pandemic, campus protests