The three winners are Intuitive Machines, Venturi Astrolab, and Lunar Outpost, which are based in Texas, California, and Colorado, respectively. After a one-year development period, only one of them will ultimately be chosen to send its rover to the Moon, at least for the Artemis 5 mission planned for the end of the decade.
The rover will
“fundamentally transform our vision of the Moon”
, promised Jacob Bleacher, senior scientist at NASA, at a press conference. This vehicle must be able to transport two astronauts, allowing them to explore areas much further than on foot and to collect samples.
“When astronauts explore the Moon's South Pole region during our Artemis missions, they will be able to go further and conduct more scientific activities than before thanks to the Lunar Terrain Vehicle
,” confirmed Vanessa Wyche, Director at NASA's Johnson Space Center.
No human has yet been to the Moon's south pole.
The rover will be equipped with a robotic arm and will be able to transport scientific equipment, but it will also have to be able to operate autonomously when the astronauts are not there. This will be a major difference from the days of the Apollo program.
Indeed, with Artemis, NASA wants to explore the South Pole of the Moon, where no human has ever been, because there is water there in the form of ice.
“NASA wants to understand how much ice there is under the surface, and if we can access it
,” explained Jacob Bleacher. This
“will help us understand how the Moon formed and evolved, and could provide a resource for future explorers.”
Also read: NASA's Artemis lunar program: a crazy ambition but big unknowns
A ten-year contract to be won with NASA
But this region also presents difficult conditions, particularly in terms of temperature differences. To meet the challenge posed, each selected company works with a series of partners, such as Michelin, Boeing and Northrop Grumman for the team led by Intuitive Machines, or Lockheed Martin, General Motors and Goodyear for Lunar Outpost.
NASA has asked that the winning company be able to provide its transport service for ten years, possibly by sending several rovers successively. The NASA contract also leaves the possibility of using the vehicle for the use of private customers, for example interested in lunar resources.
the company Intuitive Machines has assured to receive 30 million dollars for this first one-year development phase. The total value of the combined contracts for the development of this vehicle should ultimately not exceed $4.6 billion, according to NASA.