Close-up of NASA's new lunar exploration rover

The new generation of rovers was inspired by NASA's success with the Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle, used in the Apollo missions of the 1970s.

NASA is developing a next-generation Lunar Rover (LTV) for its Artemis missions. Its new technology will allow astronauts to conduct advanced scientific research more easily.

NASA astronauts Kate Rubins and Harrison Schmitt on NASA's rover prototype at Johnson Space Center, USA (Photo: NASA).

The prototype, called the Ground Test Unit (GTU) , is currently being tested by NASA under simulated conditions on Earth, to assess its reliability before deployment.

This also allows astronauts to gain practical experience and skills in operating the vehicle.

The main feature of the new generation of autonomous vehicles is that they do not include a pressure equalization chamber, meaning that the driver still has to wear a spacesuit when controlling the device.

It supports up to 2 crew members and is capable of remote operation. In addition, it has features such as self-driving mode, self-balancing, automatic monitoring.

The vehicle also has all the necessary scientific equipment to help astronauts determine direction, communicate. Overall, the vehicle will help astronauts live and work safely and effectively on the Moon.

Close-up of the front and side of the rover (Photo: NASA).

It is known that from April 2024, NASA signed a contract for lunar rover services, assigning tasks to 3 suppliers: Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost and Venturi Astrolab.

These are the units that directly design, test, and deliver new features to the rovers for astronauts to use on the lunar surface.

The new generation of rovers was inspired by NASA's success with the Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle , used in the Apollo missions of the 1970s. However, new additions in technology and features will allow the missions to conduct more research and increase scientific value.

Artemis 2 and 3 missions are scheduled to launch in 2024 and 2025 with astronauts on board.

Artemis 2 serves as a high-level test for the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft. NASA's Artemis 3 mission, on the other hand, will land humans on the Moon. This event marks the return of humans to the Moon after more than half a century.