{"id":12743,"date":"2024-12-18T12:03:34","date_gmt":"2024-12-18T16:03:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zobi.alcowep.com\/bourtagshdrevxnls658739\/new-commercial-artemis-moon-rovers-undergo-testing-at-nasa\/"},"modified":"2024-12-18T12:03:34","modified_gmt":"2024-12-18T16:03:34","slug":"new-commercial-artemis-moon-rovers-undergo-testing-at-nasa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zobi.alcowep.com\/bourtagshdrevxnls658739\/new-commercial-artemis-moon-rovers-undergo-testing-at-nasa\/","title":{"rendered":"New Commercial Artemis Moon Rovers Undergo Testing at NASA"},"content":{"rendered":"

New Commercial Artemis Moon Rovers Undergo Testing at NASA<\/h2>\n

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4 min read<\/p>\n

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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From left to right: Astrolab\u2019s FLEX, Intuitive Machines\u2019 Moon RACER, and Lunar Outpost\u2019s Eagle lunar terrain vehicle at NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center. <\/div>\n
NASA\/Bill Stafford<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Through NASA\u2019s Artemis campaign, astronauts will land on the lunar surface and use a new generation of spacesuits and rovers as they live, work, and conduct science in the Moon\u2019s South Pole region, exploring more of the lunar surface than ever before. Recently, the agency completed the first round of testing on three commercially owned and developed LTVs (Lunar Terrain Vehicle) from Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost, and Venturi Astrolab at NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center in Houston.<\/p>\n

As part of an ongoing year-long feasibility study, each company delivered a static mockup of their vehicle to Johnson at the end of September, initiated rover testing in October and completed the first round of testing in December inside the Active Response Gravity Offload System (ARGOS) test facility.\u00a0Lunar surface gravity is one-sixth of what we experience here on Earth, so to mimic this, ARGOS offers an analog environment that can offload pressurized suited subjects for various reduced gravity simulations.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\"NASA<\/figure>
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NASA astronauts Raja Chari (left) and Randy Bresnik (right) sit inside Lunar Outpost\u2019s Eagle lunar terrain vehicle evaluating the seat configuration during testing at NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center. <\/div>\n
NASA\/David DeHoyos<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n
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\"NASA<\/figure>
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NASA astronaut Jessica Meir grabs a lunar geology tool from a tool rack on Lunar Outpost\u2019s Eagle lunar terrain vehicle during testing at NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center.<\/div>\n
NASA\/James Blair<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n
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\"NASA<\/figure>
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NASA astronaut Joe Acaba prepares to climb on top of Intuitive Machines\u2019 Moon RACER lunar terrain vehicle to get to a science payload during testing at NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center.<\/div>\n
NASA\/Josh Valcarcel<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n
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\"NASA<\/figure>
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NASA astronaut Jessica Meir puts a science sample inside of a storage box on Intuitive Machines\u2019 Moon RACER lunar terrain vehicle during testing at NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center.<\/div>\n
NASA\/James Blair<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n
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\"NASA<\/figure>
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NASA astronaut Frank Rubio (left) and NASA spacesuit engineer Zach Tejral (right) sit inside Astrolab\u2019s FLEX lunar terrain vehicle evaluating the display interfaces during testing at NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center.<\/div>\n
NASA\/James Blair<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n
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\"NASA<\/figure>
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NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins stores science payloads on Astrolab\u2019s FLEX lunar terrain vehicle during testing at NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center.<\/div>\n
NASA\/Robert Markowitz<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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