With the Artemis program, NASA will not only bring American astronauts back to the Moon for the first time since the end of the Apollo program (December 1972) but also use a new generation of equipment and transport systems mainly from the sector. private.
In addition to the new spacesuit designed by Axiom Space in partnership with Prada and SpaceX's Starship which will drop crews on the surface, the American space agency has selected three rover projects, one of which will be used during the Artemis V mission (horizon 2030).
These are the Moon Racer, Eagle and FLEX rovers developed respectively by Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost and Venturi Astrolab. NASA has begun a series of tests on full-size static models at the Johnson Space Center. The three vehicles were notably tested in conditions reproducing low lunar gravity.
© NASA/James Blair NASA engineer Dave Coan (left) and NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins (right) sit aboard Intuitive Machines' Moon RACER rover.
NASA engineers and astronauts carried out maneuvers aboard the rover, various tasks as well as emergency maneuvers wearing pressurized spacesuits, including that of Axiom Space which will be used during the Artemis III mission ( mid-2027).
In particular, they simulated the handling of lunar geology tools as well as the unloading of cargo stored in the rovers' compartments. A first contact which made it possible to evaluate the ergonomics of the different designs and controls, the readability of the interfaces and to point out problems that could harm safety or the smooth running of a mission.
© NASA/Robert Markowitz Astronaut Joe Acaba lifts the solar panel of Lunar Outpost's Eagle rover during testing at NASA's Johnson Space Center.
Each manufacturer is debriefed in order to be able to integrate the necessary modifications. “ This is the first significant testing milestone under the Lunar Ground Vehicle Services Contract and it is remarkable that actual rovers were delivered just four months after the contract was awarded to these companies », rejoiced Steve Munday, LTV (Lunar Terrain Vehicle) project manager.
© NASA/Robert Markowitz Astronaut Jessica Watkins grabs a lunar geology tool from a storage drawer on Astrolab's FLEX rover. This rover is co-developed by the Monegasque company Venturi Space.
These tests also made it possible to test the mobility that the Axiom Space suit allows when it comes to getting on and off a rover. In addition, NASA requires that each rover be designed to allow an astronaut to save his teammates alone in the event of an emergency.
Next year, NASA will select one of these three rovers to prepare a demonstration mission to the Moon for participation in Artemis V.
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