NASA Building A Comfortable Lunar RV For Artemis Mission Astronauts

NASA's growing space ambitions include sending astronauts to the moon again with the Artemis Moon missions. And, if astronauts are to stay on the lunar surface for extended periods, they will require a means of transport. Well, NASA is already testing a new lunar rover for the same purpose in Arizona.

Scientists, astronauts, and engineers have come together to ensure the pressurized rover can survive on the moon’s uneven terrain filled with huge craters.

How Will It Handle The Lunar Terrain?

To navigate on the lunar surface, the rover will be capable of spinning, driving sideways, and even climbing on a foot-tall rock using its robust wheels, reports 12News. But that’s not the best part about the rover. The pressurized cabin is the highlight of the rover, which NASA has compared to a recreational vehicle (RV).

"People spent two nights in the rover and three days traversing all over the lava flow doing actual geologic science conversing with Mission Control in Houston and really simulating a real lunar mission," NASA engineer Omar Bekdash told 12News.

Despite its complex engineering, the rover will easy to maneuver through the lunar surface, using a joystick for basic movements. "All the wheels are independently controlled and they also have active suspension so they can raise and lower when needed," Bekdash added.

Spending Multiple Days In The Rover

Designers ensured the rover provides a comfortable experience as the astronauts will be expected to drive around the lunar surface in the rover for days in one go. The rover also has a toilet, making it even more like an RV. Artemis program will witness American set foot on the moon after five decades and the astronauts will have to stay on the moon this time around.

While the astronauts will also set up a base on the Moon, there will be times when they will have to live inside the rovers. But a manned mission is not expected to land anytime before the third mission of the Artemis program. If everything goes as planned, Artemis III will take flight in the mid-2020s.

Trouble In Paradise?

NASA Artemis I Moon mission has already been hit by several delays and technical glitches. However, the space agency will make another attempt to send the giant rocket into space on November 14. NASA announced a new set of potential launch dates for the uncrewed Artemis I mission.

The marquee space agency will be preparing the rocket for launch at Kennedy Space Center in Florida by November 4. If the November 14 date is finalized, the teams will attempt to take off using a 69-minute window. The mission involves an Orion capsule without any astronauts aboard the powerful Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.