ARVADA, Colorado — Lunar Outpost, a personal area firm, is placing the pedal to the steel on its lunar terrain automobile (LTV), a big rover that Artemis astronauts might use to wheel throughout the moon’s dusty, crater-pocked panorama.
A tour of Lunar Outpost’s Mission Management right here supplied an up-close have a look at the standing of the group’s LTV design, the Eagle, and the way use of its Autonomous Check Facility in Rye, Colorado helps the corporate develop and mature the off-Earth, off-road automobile.
The design is “a mixture between a dune buggy and a heavy-duty truck,” mentioned Justin Cyrus, Lunar Outpost’s CEO and co-founder.
Intuitive Machines and Venturi Astrolab have been additionally chosen for LTV work. NASA is predicted to announce its LTV selectee by the tip of the yr.
Tantalizingly shut
A trial run of know-how developed by Lunar Outpost — its small Cell Autonomous Prospecting Platform (MAPP) rover — has already flown to the moon, tucked aboard Intuitive Machine’s Athena lunar lander.
Nevertheless, Athena tipped onto its aspect throughout its lunar touchdown on March 6, 2025. The mishap prevented MAPP’s deployment to the lunar floor and deliberate exploration of the lunar south pole setting.
“Sadly, that first mission did not go fairly as we hoped,” Cyrus mentioned. “However we have been in a position to management the rover in cislunar [Earth-moon] area…and have been in a position to get information from the lunar floor.”
“We acquired tantalizingly shut to truly driving on the moon’s floor,” he added.
One other Lunar Outpost payload is slated to be on board Intuitive Machine’s subsequent moon touchdown try, which is slated for 2026. That mission will goal the Reiner Gamma area, to check the mysterious pure characteristic there that is generally known as a lunar swirl.
Cozy setting
Lunar Outpost’s Mission Management is a comfy setting. A number of rows of high-tech, high-definition, fast-refresh-rate pc screens sit underneath ceiling lighting fixtures that change the colour of the room because the state of affairs dictates.
“We use crimson, inexperienced, blue, purple for various modes and operations,” Cyrus mentioned, noting {that a} very shiny crimson indicated a disaster state of affairs. Every station tackles a unique operate, dealt with by a flight director and assist personnel.
Giant screens seize the scene at Lunar Outpost’s Autonomous Check Facility in Rye. That website has been specifically landscaped with craters, rocks and berms.
“That is certainly one of our most informative take a look at websites. We will take a look at large-scale autos for lengthy durations of time,” whether or not they’re underneath autonomous management or with human interface and interplay, Cyrus identified.
Check evaluations of moon-bound gear are being run by way of the “Stargate” Lunar Outpost mission management platform. It’s designed to allow operator selections in actual time, offering the human contact whereas teleoperating robotic programs and tasking them with complicated autonomous capabilities.
Completely different working modes
The Lunar Outpost LTV will have the ability to make tracks on the moon in several modes. It is designed to be pushed actively by astronauts on the floor of the moon, or in full autonomy drive with out human intervention, or teleoperated from mission management right here on Earth.
“It might probably go as much as 25 miles per hour [40 kph]. You do not need to go sooner than that. If you hit a rock at that pace, you will get a fairly dramatic response,” mentioned Cyrus. The LTV will usually function at speeds decrease than 15 mph (24 kph). However in emergency traverse situations on flat plains, he mentioned, the LTV can clock sooner speeds.
Autonomous LTV operations can be utilized for repetitive and mundane duties. A robotic arm on the again of the automobile can attain out a few meters to scrub off photo voltaic panels or restore moon touchdown and launch pads. That characteristic will allow astronauts to spend their valuable time on high-value science and exploration aims, Cyrus mentioned.
Lunar Outpost’s LTV design contains straightforward grabbing of instruments and a workbench for Artemis astronauts.
Cyrus mentioned that astronaut suggestions in regards to the LTV has been priceless. For instance, astronauts have given recommendation in regards to the top of the steps to get out and in of the automobile, how a lot they’re going to have the ability to elevate their knees and the correct positioning of seize handles bearing in mind the diminished mobility that spacesuits impose. All of it has confirmed invaluable, Cyrus mentioned.
Deep dives
The LTV could have to have the ability to function on the moon throughout each day and night time, so thermal administration of the automobile can be key.
Cyrus advised Area.com that Lunar Outpost is pushing ahead on distinctive applied sciences that can enable the automobile to dive deeply into completely shadowed areas (PSRs) on the moon.
At all times in darkness, PSRs are thought to retain water ice that, if current, may very well be transformed into drinkable water, breathable oxygen and rocket gas.
“We can’t solely survive however function in PSRs for a lot of tens of hours at a time,” mentioned Cyrus.
“We’re a lunar mobility firm,” he added. “We have put in a number of exhausting work to ‘de-risk’ our know-how through the years … to validate our important programs … to prepare for lunar floor missions. We’re able to drive.”
