Latest news with #LunarDawn
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Lunar Outpost to Unveil Latest Lunar Terrain Vehicle at Space Symposium 2025
High-fidelity prototype offers an early look at how astronauts will live and work on the lunar surfaceCOLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., April 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lunar Outpost, a leader in planetary mobility and space resource utilization, will unveil the latest prototype of its Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV), Lunar Outpost Eagle, at Space Symposium 2025 in Colorado Springs, CO. The debut marks a significant milestone in Lunar Outpost's commitment to advancing lunar exploration and supporting NASA's Artemis campaign, which will establish the first long-term human presence on the Moon. The historic pace at which Lunar Outpost has unveiled its high-fidelity prototype, the fourth vehicle level prototype in less than 12 months, speaks to the notable progress that is being made towards delivering the flight vehicle. Each prototype offers an important chance to learn and adapt ensuring the best quality services to NASA. Eagle provides the essential mobility for Artemis astronauts to travel around the lunar surface for scientific discovery, technology advancement, and to learn how to live and work on another world sustainably as we prepare for human missions to Mars. In 2024, NASA awarded a Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services (LTVS) contract to the Lunar Dawn team, led by Lunar Outpost in collaboration with General Motors, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, MDA Space, and Leidos. Lunar Dawn combines proven robotic and human space exploration heritage, cutting edge technology, and automotive industry strengths to create a true off-road vehicle built for extreme environments. 'Safe and reliable surface mobility is critical to advancing space exploration and powering the cislunar economy,' said Justin Cyrus, CEO of Lunar Outpost. 'The Lunar Outpost Eagle represents a foundational element for building a sustainable human presence on the Moon, enabling necessary access to critical points of interest for the Artemis campaign and commercial partners - paving the way for future exploration of Mars and beyond.' Eagle is designed to dramatically extend the range that both Artemis astronauts and commercial payloads can travel from their landing sites. Ultimately, Eagle will enable astronauts to perform high-priority science investigations on the Moon while also providing commercial services that improve mobility, innovation, and impact within the cislunar economy. 'Every aspect of Eagle serves a scientific purpose and demands innovation,' said AJ Gemer, CTO of Lunar Outpost. 'Drawing on expertise from our rich planetary mobility programs and heritage, including our Mobile Autonomous Prospecting Platform (MAPP) rover that landed on the Moon last month, we've built a vehicle that is both capable and hardened to withstand the harsh conditions of space. Beyond its ability to traverse the challenging lunar terrain, Eagle supports various payload requirements, powers advanced instrumentation for experiments, maintains high-bandwidth communication, and more. Ultimately, Eagle embodies the principle that a functional design is a beautiful design, representing the quintessential Space Truck.' Lunar Outpost engineered Eagle to provide Artemis astronauts with a safe and functional experience, featuring a flight deck-forward design for unfettered navigation of the challenging lunar surface. It includes advanced autonomous navigation and operation, with or without astronauts onboard. Its cargo bed is reconfigurable, allowing for the changing of payloads with a robust robotic arm. Notably, Eagle has been engineered not only to survive, but to operate, during the two-week long lunar nights with temperatures down to -280 degrees Fahrenheit––extending mission life from days to years. Eagle will undergo a Preliminary Design Review (PDR) this spring to ensure the vehicle meets NASA's requirements. NASA is anticipated to announce its choice of LTVS provider by the end of the year. Lunar Outpost's drivable LTV prototype will be on display at the Space Symposium April 7-10, 2025, located at BAE Systems Exhibit Center North Hall at MDA Space Booth 1341. The unveiling offers a first look at the future of space mobility and lunar exploration. About Lunar OutpostLunar Outpost is a pioneer in planetary mobility and space resource utilization, developing advanced robotic systems for extreme environments. From enabling the first commercial rover on the Moon to supporting NASA's Lunar Terrain Vehicle project, Lunar Outpost is leading the way toward sustainable lunar infrastructure and a cislunar economy. With multiple missions fully contracted, the company is helping shape the future of space as an extension of the global economy. For more information, visit Media ContactLaunchSquad for Lunar Outpostlo@ A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
All-terrain space truck hopes to drive astronauts on the moon
In April 2024, NASA selected three finalists to design, build, and pitch their own Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) for the Artemis program within 12 months. Ever since, Intuitive Machines, Venturi Astrolab, and Lunar Outpost have raced to meet the impending deadline to deliver the best moon car plan possible. Lunar Outpost's Lunar Dawn team revealed its latest high-fidelity prototype, the Lunar Outpost Eagle, on April 8. The vehicle will officially debut at Space Symposium 2025 in Colorado Springs and provide attendees with the closest look yet at the Artemis program hopeful. Eagle is the fourth prototype iteration so far, and was built in collaboration from General Motors, Goodyear, MDA Space, and Leidos, the Eagle is envisioned as the 'quintessential Space Truck,' according to AJ Gemer, Lunar Outpost CTO. Eagle's current version features a reconfigurable cargo bed, as well as a robotic arm for helping with will reportedly rely on autonomous navigation software with or without astronauts behind the wheel. The LTV's final design is intended to also support advanced onboard instrumentation for various experiments while maintaining high-bandwidth communication relays. Lunar Outpost plans to ensure its LTV can not only endure the moon's harsh, two-week long lunar nights, but continue operating as surface temperatures drop as low as -280 degrees Fahrenheit. These and other safeguards are critical to the LTV remaining functional for years beyond its first mission. It hasn't all been smooth sailing for Lunar Outpost since NASA awarded the company with its feasibility task order. Last February, a small, four-wheeled rover built by the company hitched a ride aboard Intuitive Machines' Odysseus lunar lander mission. Although 'Odie' became the first commercial spacecraft to successfully land on the moon on March 6, it did so on its side. As a result, Lunar Outpost's scale test rover could not deploy to test Nokia's first-of-its-kind lunar cellular network. Despite this, engineers still managed to successfully maintain telecommunications links with the rover for over 200 hours, as well as meeting Lunar Technology Readiness Level (TRL 9) requirements for key rover subsystems. Following Eagle's premiere at the Space Symposium, Lunar Outpost's LTV will begin its Preliminary Design Review process to ensure it meets all of NASA's requirements before delivering a completed pitch to the agency. NASA is expected to announce the winning LTV bid by the end of this year. If all goes according to plan (which admittedly is a big 'if'), Lunar Outpost's Eagle lander could be a part of the Artemis V mission currently scheduled for 2030.
