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Last year, Vice President Mike Pence ordered NASA to return humans to the Moon by 2024. Since then, NASA has been working hard to achieve this goal, creating the Artemis Program and issuing contracts for three different teams to start. to develop lunar landers.
But in his speech, Pence went beyond simply setting a date for landing. He also said the space agency should “establish a permanent base there and develop the technologies to take American astronauts to Mars and beyond. That is the next giant leap.”
Now, we are starting to get some details on how that might be. On Friday, a NASA engineer named Mark Kirasich, acting director of NASA’s Advanced Exploration Systems, spoke at a meeting of the Virtual Investigation Institute for Exploration of the Solar System (see video). During his presentation, Kirasich outlined NASA’s plans for lunar surface activities.
Assuming NASA has the goal of landing humans on the Moon by 2024, which is theoretically possible but would require many budgetary, political and technical factors to fall in the path of the space agency, a “Lunar Terrain Vehicle” would follow in 2025. This would be delivered through the “Commercial Lunar Charge Services” program, in which NASA has a group of private companies to choose from for lunar delivery services.
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This rover would be a relatively simple, pressureless vehicle similar to what astronauts had at their disposal during the last three Apollo missions to the Moon. “This is the first surface element that we are going to build,” Kirasich said. After an acquisition strategy meeting this week, she said NASA will move to formally establish a program office for the rover at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.
The next step would involve developing a pressurized rover. “This thing is the coolest item I’ve ever seen for people,” said Kirasich. “It is like an RV for the Moon. We are going to try to develop this together with JAXA, as a Japanese contribution to our plan.”
Last week, NASA formalized this agreement by signing a “Joint Exploration Statement of Intent” that includes Japanese contributions to the Lunar Gateway, in-orbit and surface exploration. Potentially, this means Japan’s space agency JAXA will lead the development of a critical piece of architecture for the Artemis Program, a rover that works as a habitat for up to two people for 14 days. Kirasich did not provide a date for the launch of this larger rover.
The Japanese association is notable because NASA spent over half a decade in the 2000s working on the Lunar Electric Rover, which was a planned item to facilitate lunar astronaut stays for 180 days. This was part of the Constellation Program, which was canceled in 2010 after it was discovered to be behind schedule and over budget. When asked if it was justifiable for NASA to delegate this work to JAXA and its business partner Toyota, Kirasich said it was necessary.
“Our work depends on federal funds, so we have to listen to our voters who finance us,” he said. “It is very important for our leadership at the moment to involve JAXA in an important surface element. Number two, the Japanese and their auto industry, have a strong interest in mobile-type things. So there was an idea, although we We have done a great job of allowing the Japanese to lead the development of a pressurized rover. So right now that is the direction we are headed. “
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A high-ranking lunar scientist who participated in the meeting, Clive Neal of Notre Dame, said the announcement that Japan would lead the development of a pressurized habitat on the Moon was a surprise.
“Under Constellation, NASA had a sophisticated armed vehicle,” Neal told Ars. “It is quite sad if you are never going to get to the moon.”
However, Neal added that he understands that NASA and its administrator, Jim Bridenstine, need to expand the appeal of the Artemis Program and attract additional partners. That not only makes it easier for Congress to support Artemis, as well as future presidential administrations, but it helps defray the high costs of a lunar return. “NASA’s budget is stretched quite thin, and this helps them afford to do it,” he said.
