NASA has selected three companies, including Intuitive Machines co-founded by billionaire Kam Ghaffarian, to work on developing a rover that will help astronauts better explore the Moon. The agency is preparing to return humans to the moon for the first time in decades, with the ultimate goal of establishing a long-term presence on another planetary body. Only one company will be awarded a contract to actually build the Lunar Terrain Vehicle and send it to the Moon, but all three companies will enter into milestone-based contracts with competitive task orders to ensure NASA maintains robust competition and gets the best value for the government.
Intuitive Machines announced that it has been awarded $30 million for a Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services Feasibility Assessment. The other two companies, Lunar Outpost and Venturi Astrolab, did not immediately share the value of their contracts. Venturi Astrolab’s total contract is expected to be worth up to $1.9 billion. The new rover will be designed to help astronauts from NASA’s Artemis program explore more of the Moon and search for water, ice, and other resources on the lunar surface. It is a crucial step in preparing for human missions to the Moon, including the groundbreaking Artemis missions that aim to land the first woman, first person of color, and first international partner astronaut on the Moon.
The proposed rover is expected to last 10 years on the Moon, carry two astronauts, accommodate a robotic arm, and survive extreme temperatures in the lunar South Pole. This region has extremely cold temperatures and permanently shadowed areas, making it a challenging environment for exploration. NASA plans to use the moon rover for crewed operations starting with the launch of Artemis V in 2029. Forbes estimates Kam Ghaffarian’s net worth to be around $2.3 billion, making him the 1,438th wealthiest person in the world. Intuitive Machines recently became the first company to land a privately operated spacecraft intact on the Moon, carrying NASA experiments and commercial payloads as part of a cargo delivery program.
NASA’s decision to work with private companies on developing lunar exploration technology is part of a broader effort to boost the commercial space industry. Other companies owned by billionaires, such as Blue Origin and SpaceX, have been awarded lucrative contracts by NASA to develop spacecraft for the Artemis program. The moon rover project, which started with proposals last May, aims to create a vehicle that will allow astronauts to go farther and conduct more scientific research than ever before while exploring the south polar region of the Moon. Intuitive Machines is collaborating with Boeing, Michelin, Northrop Grumman, and other companies on its rover, while Lunar Outpost’s team includes Lockheed Martin and General Motors. Venturi Astrolab is working with Axiom Space, Inc. and Odyssey Space Research on its rover.
The combined contracts for the moon rover project have a maximum potential value of $4.6 billion, according to NASA. The development of this vehicle is essential for advancing human space exploration and establishing a long-term presence on the Moon. As NASA continues to invest in innovative technology and partnerships with private companies, the future of lunar exploration looks promising. The success of the moon rover project will not only benefit NASA’s Artemis program but also pave the way for future missions to other planetary bodies in the solar system.
