NASA Opens Competition for Lunar Terrain Vehicle Service Contracting Effort

NASA has launched a full and open competition for interested vendors to design and build a next-generation lunar terrain vehicle capable of supporting crewed and uncrewed activities on the moon’s South Pole.

The LTV Services contracting program covers the development, delivery and operations of the lunar surface rover for crewed missions beginning with Artemis V in 2029, NASA said Saturday.

NASA is seeking a platform that would carry two suited astronauts, use a robotic arm for science exploration support tasks and function in south polar region conditions.

The vehicle is envisioned to transport cargo and scientific equipment between crewed landing sites and conduct scientific research on the moon during uncrewed operations.

NASA expects the system to be a blend of features from a Mars-style uncrewed roving vehicle and an Apollo-style rover.

Interested parties can submit proposals until July 10. The agency is looking to award the contract in November.