The last time humans walked on the moon was 1972, and a lot has changed since then. As NASA continues its preparation for a manned mission, it needs to have everything made new using modern materials and technologies.
One important piece of equipment that will likely be needed is a rover. Rovers are invaluable items on any planetary space mission as they allow faster travel and carry greater amounts of equipment wherever it is needed. On a manned mission like this, the rover will also allow astronauts to travel much greater distances from the landing site.
With that in mind, NASA worked with several contractors to create a prototype of a rover that may be used on future lunar missions. They put out a press release about the new rover, which is being called the Ground Test Unit (GTU).
NSAS engineering lead, Jeff Somers, talked about the rover in the press release, saying:
“The Ground Test Unit will help NASA teams on the ground, test and understand all aspects of rover operations on the lunar surface ahead of Artemis missions. The GTU allows NASA to be a smart buyer, so we are able to test and evaluate rover operations while we work with the LTVS contractors and their hardware.”
The rover, which many people are saying has the look of a cross between a tractor and a golf cart, has the ability to carry two astronauts while bringing other equipment along with them.
NASA is also preparing for their upcoming Artemis 2 mission, which is an 8-day mission to bring four people around the moon, though they will not land. This mission is slated to launch before the end of 2024.
If all goes well, the Artemis 3 mission should occur in 2025 and be the first manned mission to the moon in over 50 years.
The lunar rover looks pretty cool.
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