(AGENPARL) - Roma, 26 Maggio 2023 - (AGENPARL) – ven 26 maggio 2023 May 26, 2023 
RELEASE 23-059
*NASA Pursues Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services for Artemis Missions*
ltv_image_.png
Artist's concept of NASA's next-generation Lunar Terrain Vehicle on the
surface of the Moon.
*/Credits: NASA/*
NASA is seeking industry proposals for a next-generation LTV (Lunar Terrain
Vehicle) that will allow astronauts to go farther and conduct more science
than ever before as they explore the south polar region of the Moon during
Artemis [1] missions.
Artemis astronauts will drive to explore and sample more of the lunar surface
using the LTV than they could on foot. NASA will contract LTV as a service
from industry rather than owning the rover. Contracting services from
industry partners allows NASA to leverage commercial innovation and provide
the best value to U.S. taxpayers while achieving its human spaceflight
scientific and exploration goals.
“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,” said
Lara Kearney, manager of NASA’s Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface
Mobility program at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
The LTV will function like a cross between an Apollo-style lunar rover and a
Mars-style uncrewed rover. It will support phases driven by astronauts and
phases as an uncrewed mobile science exploration platform, similar to
NASA’s Curiosity and Perseverance Mars rovers. This will enable continued
performance of science even when crews are not present on the lunar surface.
Artemis astronauts will use the LTV to traverse the lunar surface and
transport scientific equipment, extending the distances they can cover on
each moonwalk.
Under the Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services request for proposals [2], NASA has
provided requirements for companies interested in developing and
demonstrating the LTV, including an approach that encourages companies to
produce an innovative rover for use by NASA and other commercial customers
for multiple years.
Engineers will be able to operate the LTV remotely to transport cargo and
scientific payloads between crewed landing sites, enabling additional science
returns, resource prospecting, and lunar exploration. This will expand
scientific research opportunities on the Moon during uncrewed operations,
allow scientists to investigate future surface mission locations, and inform
research goals and objectives for each site. 
To handle the unique environment near the lunar South Pole, which includes
permanently shadowed regions and extended periods without sunlight, the LTV
will need to incorporate several systems to support both crewed and uncrewed
operations. Some of the more critical systems include advanced power
management, semi-autonomous driving, state-of-the-art communication and
navigation systems, and protection from the extreme environment.
As part of the proposals, companies are required to provide end-to-end
services, from development and delivery to the lunar surface, to execution of
operations. Each rover must be able to carry two suited astronauts,
accommodate a robotic arm or mechanism to support science exploration, and
survive the extreme temperatures at the lunar South Pole. The company will be
asked to successfully demonstrate the LTV in the lunar environment prior to
using it in a crewed capacity.  
NASA intends to use the LTV for crewed operations beginning with Artemis V in
2029. Prior to crew arrival, the rover will be used for uncrewed and
commercial activities once it lands on the lunar surface.
Proposals for the LTV services contract are due July 10, 2023, with the
contract award scheduled for November 2023. This request for proposals
incorporates feedback from industry through a draft request for proposals and
a previous request for information [3].
Through Artemis, NASA will send astronauts – including the first woman and
first person of color – to explore the Moon for scientific discovery,
economic benefits, and to build the foundation for crewed missions to Mars.
Together, NASA’s Space Launch System rocket, Orion spacecraft, Gateway
lunar orbital outpost, advanced spacesuits and rovers, and human landing
systems are the agency’s foundation for deep space exploration.
Learn more about this request for proposals at:
*https://www.nasa.gov/jsc/procurement/ltv [4]*
-end-
*Press Contacts*
Vanessa Lloyd / Kathryn Hambleton 
Headquarters, Washington 
202-397-0807 / 202-358-1100 
Tim Hall
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
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[1] https://www.nasa.gov/specials/artemis/
[3] https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-prompts-companies-for-artemis-lunar-terrain-vehicle-solutions
[4] https://www.nasa.gov/jsc/procurement/ltv