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Preserve Roving
In preparation for the first crewed lunar mission in half a century, NASA is prototyping a brand new Moon rover — and it appears to be like like some fairly distinctly Earth-bound automobiles.
Introduced in a NASA press release, the brand new Floor Check Unit (GTU) is at present in growth on the company’s Johnson House Middle in Houston, Texas.
As photographs of the prototype in motion present, it is already been taken for a joyride by some huge names: astronaut Kate Rubins, the primary particular person to ever sequence DNA in area, and Apollo 17 pilot-turned-senator Harrison “Jack” Schmitt.
These photographs additionally present that the lunar terrain automobile (LTV) appears to be like, for some motive, quite a bit like a combination between a tractor and a golf cart — and the company did not point out why, precisely, it was constructed to look that manner.
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Although there’s little clarification about these visible references, NASA did clarify how this LTV prototype, which is able to by no means be despatched to the Moon, was constructed.
Earlier this yr, the American area company contracted three private companies — Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost, and Venturi Astrolab — to create parts for the GTU.
“The Floor Check Unit will assist NASA groups on the bottom, check and perceive all elements of rover operations on the lunar floor forward of Artemis missions,” NASA engineering lead Jeff Somers defined within the press launch. “The GTU permits NASA to be a wise purchaser, so we’re capable of check and consider rover operations whereas we work with the LTVS contractors and their {hardware}.”
Designed to hold two astronauts, the GTU additionally has extra capabilities permitting for it to be operated remotely, which makes it form of sound like it may be “summoned” a la Tesla.
As a result of we’re curious, Futurism has reached out to NASA to ask if both tractors or golf carts have been used as references for this GTU prototype — and we’re hoping the reply shall be sure to each.
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