Mobility: the Lunar Terrain Vehicle and Pressurised Rovers
How will astronauts and robots move across the Moon, and how is NASA buying the vehicles?
Chapter summary
Apollo's last three missions drove a lunar roving vehicle up to about 36 km in a mission.
Key takeaways
- 1
Artemis plans three classes of mobility: an unpressurised lunar terrain vehicle (LTV) for two suited astronauts that can also drive itself between crew visits; a pressurised rover in which crews can live for weeks, which Japan's JAXA and Toyota are developing; and small robotic scouts.
- 2
In May 2026 NASA picked Lunar Outpost and Venturi Astrolab to build LTVs, about $220 million each, targeted to be on the Moon for Artemis IV in 2028.
- 3
NASA buys LTV use as a service: the companies own the rovers and can sell time to others when NASA is not using them.
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