Technology
New electric ‘lunar buggy’ being built for Nasa’s return to Moon – and will make -140C trip to its south pole
AN ELECTRIC Moon buggy that will take astronauts around the lunar south pole is being created by Lockheed Martin and General Motors.
Nasa has tasked the companies with creating an autonomous Moon buggy ahead of its 2024 Artemis mission which will see a male and female astronaut head to the Moon.
The aim is for GM’s autonomous driving technology to help the buggy travel ‘significantly farther’ than previous Moon vehicles.
The buggy is currently only in its planning stages.
Rick Ambrose, executive vice president, Lockheed Martin Space, said in a statement: “Surface mobility is critical to enable and sustain long-term exploration of the lunar surface.
“These next-generation rovers will dramatically extend the range of astronauts as they perform high-priority science investigation on the Moon that will ultimately impact humanity’s understanding of our place in the solar system.”
Astronauts will be looking into Moon ice on the dark side of the Moon[/caption]
The buggy will need to withstand the lunar south pole’s weird temperatures that can range from -137.8°C at night to 126.7°C in the day.
Previous lunar rovers made by GM only travelled about 4.7 miles from the landing site.
It’s hoped the new buggy will go much further.
The buggy will have space for at least two people and 1,102 pounds worth of cargo.
The plan is for the buggy to be able to travel much further than similar vehicles used in previous Nasa missions[/caption]
Alan Wexler, senior vice president of Innovation and Growth at General Motors, said: “General Motors made history by applying advanced technologies and engineering to support the Lunar Rover Vehicle that the Apollo 15 astronauts drove on the Moon.
“Working together with Lockheed Martin and their deep-space exploration expertise, we plan to support American astronauts on the Moon once again.”
Nasa’s Artemis lunar mission – key facts
Nasa’s Artemis lunar mission – key facts
- Nasa has pledged to land man on the Moon in 2024
- The mission, dubbed Artemis, will mark the first time astronauts have set foot on the lunar surface since 1972
- A giant Nasa rocket dubbed the Space Launch System will carry astronauts beyond Earth’s atmosphere
- Once at the Moon, two astronauts will descend to the surface from an orbiting craft called the Lunar Gateway
- Nasa has pledged that one of the landing crewa will be female, marking the first time a woman has set foot on the Moon
- The pair would land on the lunar south pole, where vast reserves of frozen water could be tapped for future explorers
- The landing system that brought the astronauts to the surface will then blast back to the orbiting Gateway satellite
- They will board an Orion capsule for the 250,000-mile trip back to Earth
- Nasa has a mountain of technical challenges to overcome before Artemis gets the green light
- It’s still not clear if everything will be ready in time for the ambitious 2024 launch date
- Nasa boss Jim Bridenstine has said the Moon will serve as a critical training ground for Mars expeditions, perhaps in the 2030s
Most read in Science
In other space news, Nasa’s Perseverance rover has created breathable oxygen.
The space agency recently completed the first controlled flight on another planet following the lift-off of its Mars helicopter-drone, Ingenuity.
And, the mystery surrounding what looks like giant spiders on the surface of Mars may finally have been solved.
What are your thoughts on the lunar buggy concept? Let us know in the comments…
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