NASA Sticks to Single Lunar Rover Provider Despite Spacesuit Program Setback

NASA is not reconsidering its plans to select only one company to develop an Artemis lunar rover, despite a setback in another program procuring key elements of the lunar exploration effort as a service.

In April, NASA announced that it had awarded feasibility study contracts to three companies — Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost, and Venturi Astrolab — for the first phase of its Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) Services contract. These one-year contracts, which began in May, will allow the companies to further develop their rover designs for use by astronauts on later Artemis missions, as well as teleoperated from the ground when astronauts are not present.

NASA plans to select one of these companies to build and demonstrate its rover on the moon, after which the agency will effectively rent the rover under a services contract. The company will also have the opportunity to offer the rover to other customers when not in use by NASA.

This approach differs from other services contracts NASA is employing for Artemis and International Space Station operations, such as crewed lunar landers and space station cargo and crew missions. In those cases, NASA contracts with at least two providers, arguing that this approach ensures the availability of key capabilities even if one provider faces challenges.

NASA officials acknowledged that limited budgets prevented the agency from selecting a second company for a lunar rover demonstration award. Chris Hansen, deputy manager of NASA's Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility program, stated that the agency's approach to the LTV program provides "better assurance that we can stay within the budgets that we’re given to accomplish our mission."

NASA's approach to procuring capabilities as a service has been tested since the LTV awards. Collins Aerospace announced on June 25 that it would no longer continue work on an Exploration Extravehicular Activity Services (xEVAS) task order it won from NASA in 2022 to develop a new ISS spacesuit. These suits were intended to be provided to NASA under a services contract.

Collins was one of two companies selected for the xEVAS program, with NASA also awarding a task order to Axiom Space to develop a suit for Artemis moonwalks. Each company received a "crossover" task order allowing Axiom to adapt its suit for the ISS and Collins to adapt its suit for the moon.

Vanessa Wyche, director of NASA's Johnson Space Center, stated that Axiom will continue work on their deep space and microgravity suits, while Collins is "stood down." NASA is exploring ways to maintain competition in the xEVAS program, potentially by bringing on a new provider or implementing internal risk mitigation measures in case Axiom encounters technical challenges.

While NASA is committed to ensuring competition within the spacesuit program, the experience with Collins has not altered the agency's stance on the LTV services contract.

Steve Munday, LTV project manager at NASA JSC, explained that funding limitations prevent the agency from supporting more than one company during the demonstration phase. "I would love for there to be more than one," he stated, "but budgetary constraints may force us to have one."

The three companies selected for feasibility studies provided limited details about their vehicles during a panel discussion. A key topic discussed was the business model for each company, including the extent of NASA's rover use and potential non-NASA customers.

NASA offers two options for each Artemis mission, with the ability to purchase five or nine months of rover use as part of an annual mission cadence. Munday explained that the rover operator can utilize the rover for the remaining time.

Trent Martin, senior vice president of space systems at Intuitive Machines, emphasized that companies are required to outline the business case for their rovers, including planned non-NASA users, as part of their proposals. NASA reviews these proposals to assess the financial viability and sustainability of the business model, ensuring that the proposed price to NASA is sustainable and that real business opportunities exist to support the case.

Specifics regarding the business models were not disclosed by panelists. Forrest Meyen, co-founder of Lunar Outpost, described a "nonlinear model" for rover usage based on the type and priority of activities, citing its complexity and classified nature.

John Muratore, LTVS program manager at Astrolab, provided a simpler assessment, noting that operating costs for the rover are minimal once it is in service on the lunar surface. "We’re going to keep busy every day," he stated.