Dodo Finance: NASA awards contracts to three companies for lunar vehicle design

NASA has recently awarded contracts to three companies – Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost, and Venturi Astrolab – for the development of a lunar terrain vehicle as part of the Artemis missions. The goal is to have the vehicle ready and operational by 2030 for the Artemis V crew.

The three companies will be conducting a feasibility study to design a system that meets NASA’s requirements. Intuitive Machines received a $30 million contract for the feasibility assessment. Only one of the companies will ultimately receive the subsequent award for a demonstration mission to validate the vehicle’s performance and safety.

The total value of the contract program for the lunar terrain vehicle is a whopping $4.6 billion. NASA has outlined specific requirements for the vehicles, including the ability to withstand extreme cold temperatures and have semi-autonomous driving capabilities.

Intuitive Machines and Venturi Astrolab have revealed details about their respective designs – the RACER and FLEX rover. The winning company will have the opportunity to deploy their vehicle commercially on the moon when not in use by NASA.

This project marks a significant milestone as it will be the first U.S. crewed moon landing in over five decades, with the last landing witnessed by 650 million people globally back in 1969. Stay tuned as these companies work towards making history once again with their innovative lunar terrain vehicles. Keep an eye on Dodo Finance for more updates on this exciting development in space exploration.