These so-called lunar terrain vehicles will be built by Astrolab and Lunar Outpost.
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- NASA is already ordering landers, rovers and drones for a sprawling moon base, less than two months after Artemis II’s record-breaking lunar flyaround.
- Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin will provide a pair of landers to deliver moon buggies to the lunar surface, at a spot near the moon’s south pole.
NASA has announced its plans to establish a moon base, which includes ordering lunar terrain vehicles from Astrolab and Lunar Outpost. This decision is part of a broader strategy to support future lunar missions, following the successful Artemis II mission that recently completed a historic lunar flyaround.
The agency is also securing additional hardware, including landers and drones, to facilitate operations on the lunar surface. Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin has been contracted to provide landers that will transport moon buggies to a designated area near the moon's south pole, while Firefly Aerospace will deliver the first drones to assist in exploration.
NASA's contracts, amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars, reflect its commitment to advancing lunar exploration and establishing a sustainable presence on the moon. The agency aims for this equipment to be operational before the first Artemis astronauts land on the lunar surface, marking a significant step in its long-term lunar ambitions.
The developments underscore the urgency and scale of NASA's lunar program as it prepares for future missions.
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