The NASA Artemis mission is set to unfold in the coming years, with the Artemis 5 set at the end of the decade. However, the program is seeing a new delay in the awarding of its lunar rover contract to the company that will make it.
In the recent update by the space agency, the contract awarding was now said to take place by 2024. Initially, NASA was planning to name who will build the lunar rover for this ambitious program later this year.
NASA was reportedly set to announce the winner of the Artemis contract this month, but the agency changed the expected contract award date to next year.
NASA Artemis Lunar Rover Contract Is Delayed Til 2024
NASA's procurement website for the Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services (LTVS) contract has updated the date when it will award the contract that will work on the future mode of transportation for the Artemis mission.
On the website, instead of the previous November 2023 announcement, NASA changed it to March 31, 2024, seeing a four-month delay. The space agency issued a final request for proposals last May 26, with the deadline being July 13, but was further extended to July 26.
Many companies, including Leidos, Lockheed Martin, Teledyne Brown, Astrolab, Intuitive Machines, and more, have expressed their intent to be the creator of the next-generation LTV.
Read Also: SpaceX Starship, Astrolab to Launch SUV-Sized Moon Rover in 2026
Why Does NASA Delay the Lunar Rover Contract?
According to SpaceNews, a NASA spokesperson noted that this delay was due to the agency's needing more time to evaluate the proposals but did not provide additional details.
Industry anonymous sources believed that this delay was related to the uncertainty over NASA's budget for the fiscal year 2024. They also said the delay could give the agency a clearer picture of how much money it can assign for the LTV project or if it can fund more than one contract.
NASA Artemis' Lunar Terrain Vehicle for Exploration
It is an honor and privilege to bring one's tech to the moon, and some companies will be fortunate to see a NASA contract that will provide support, funds, and connections to make this a reality soon.
The search for a contractor to design the lunar rover for the Artemis mission began in 2020, and back then, NASA was tapping into car manufacturers to create it.
Many companies are falling in line, creating designs, prototypes, and more to fulfill NASA's needs for an LTV, set soon to roam the lunar surface alongside the first woman to venture to the natural satellite.
There are also different startups looking to focus on a private mission towards bringing their lunar rovers to the moon, with a company called Lunar Outpost recently securing a $12 million investment for its development.
Various names in the industry have presented their renders and designs of what will soon bring transportation for astronauts of the Artemis moon mission, but the choosing has yet to take place from NASA.
Instead of a reveal this November for the winner of the LTV contract for Artemis, it is now seeing an announcement before the first quarter of 2024 ends, but with no explanations as to why it was delayed.
Related Article: Riding on the Moon: NASA Seeks Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services for Artemis Missions
