NASA is preparing for the upcoming Artemis missions to the Moon, and a crucial component of these endeavors is the Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV). This blog post explores the development of the Ground Test Unit, a prototype that will help NASA and its commercial partners refine the design and capabilities of the LTV. With the ability to support up to two astronauts and various control modes, the LTV is set to revolutionize lunar exploration, enabling scientific discoveries and paving the way for future crewed missions to Mars.

Ground Test Unit Design

In preparation for Artemis missions to the lunar surface, engineers at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston are fitting the Ground Test Unit (GTU), an unpressurized rover prototype, with special wheels designed to meet RTG specifications. The test unit will be used to validate multiple vehicle concepts ahead of the next cycle of field testing that is expected to include prototype rovers developed in partnership with industry targeted for delivery beginning with Artemis V.

The GTU will never make it to the Moon, but it will be an important part of the process of building more rover prototypes. The GTU is just one of several ways NASA and its commercial partners are testing various aspects of rover operations, from the crew compartment design to maintenance, and payload integration in order to refine their rover designs. Together, these efforts help ensure the chosen final LTV for Artemis missions that will be able to help astronauts get where they need and explore more of the Moon.

Selecting the LTV Providers

NASA has chosen three vendors — Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost and Venturi Astrolab — to provide rover capabilities for astronauts on the lunar surface starting in April 2024. Specifically, these vendors will need to support a two-person crew, serve as an unmanned aerial system of system (UASoS) operated remotely and implement multiple control modes—drive modes autonomously developed on the ground test unit and others like self-leveling or supervised autonomy for coordination with manned aircraft.

Developing rover hardware Hand-over of NASA prototype of the vehicle in final test configurations By having a high-fidelity prototype that acts like the real thing on Earth, engineers can make testable communications over millions kilometers. By using this approach, NASA is a “smart buyer,” making sure that the final LTV selected for the Artemis missions, is a dependable and capable vehicle that will strengthen astronauts’ exploration activities.

Advancing Lunar Exploration

Indeed, NASA has a long track record of creating rover concepts even before the Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle of the 1970s. The GTU is the most recent step in this buildup, intended to assist not just with the Artemis campaign but future Moon or even Mars missions.

For the GTU and LTVs developed by contractors, ground testing on Earth helps mitigate risk and allow implementation of new technologies or hardware features before landing them on the Moon. Better surface mobility will enable astronauts to reach more locations, conduct a wider range of science investigations and ultimately demonstrate capabilities that will help prepare for human missions to Mars. LTV will be a key element in growing the exploration horizon as NASA gears to take the initial woman and another individual color astronaut to Moon together with worldwide partner; undoubtedly, it leads toward future crewed Mars missions.