VOA科学技术2024--NASA Looks to Private Companies to Develop New Moon Vehicles

The American space agency NASA has announced new efforts to develop and test vehicles designed to explore the moon.

Earlier this month, NASA said it had chosen three private companies to design lunar explorers to be used as part of its Artemis program. Artemis aims to return astronauts to the moon for the first time since 1972. NASA has set a target landing date of September 2026 to place astronauts on the moon once again.

NASA announced the names of three companies that will each propose designs for the new vehicles. They are Texas-based Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost of Colorado and Venturi Astrolab of California. The space agency said it will consider the designs of all three companies, but will only award one of them a development contract.

NASA describes the explorer it wants built as a Lunar Terrain¹ Vehicle (LTV). It said the contract involving the project would be worth up to $4.6 billion over 15 years. The winning company will be expected to produce a full demonstration² vehicle.

The company Intuitive Machines developed a private moon lander that successfully touched down on the moon in February. The company announced late last month that the lander, called Odysseus, had powered down permanently³ after carrying out several research experiments.

Jacob Bleacher is NASA's chief exploration scientist. He told reporters the LTV will be an important step in establishing "a longer-term exploration and presence on the moon." He added, "I like to imagine the views and the vistas⁵ that the LTV will enable us to see from the surface of the moon."

NASA said it will aim to launch the LTV for astronaut activities on the moon during Artemis V. This part of the Artemis program is currently⁶ set for 2030, NASA's latest budget request shows. NASA said it plans to test the vehicle on the surface of the moon before Artemis V arrives.

Astronauts will use the LTV "to travel around the lunar surface, conducting scientific research during the agency's Artemis campaign at the moon and preparing for human missions to Mars," NASA said.

NASA officials say the LTV will need to be able to survive the extreme conditions found at the Artemis landing site at the moon's South Pole. This will require the vehicle to have a strong and dependable power system and the latest in communications and navigation technologies.

The vehicle will also need the ability to explore the moon on its own without astronaut drivers. The LTV will carry out exploration activities including transporting scientific equipment and collecting materials on the lunar surface. NASA said these abilities will permit astronauts to carry out research activities in a very wide area.

"We will use the LTV to travel to locations we might not otherwise be able to reach on foot, increasing our ability to explore and make new scientific discoveries," Bleacher said.

NASA said the contract includes technical services as well as equipment. The agency said all the companies chosen had agreed to carry out the agency's exact technical requirements for the LTV.

Venturi Astrolab said its planned vehicle, called FLEX⁷, is designed to carry two astronauts, support scientific exploration with a robotic arm...and withstand the extreme temperatures at the lunar South Pole."

Lunar Outpost said it was working with partners including American companies Lockheed Martin, General Motors, Goodyear and Canada's MDA Space.

Lunar Outpost leader Justin Cyrus told the French news agency AFP that the company plans to use its expertise⁸ in technology and the automotive industry "to provide a true off-road vehicle capable of allowing us to live and work on the surface of the moon."

Lunar Outpost is planning to put a small, crewless explorer on the Moon later this year, as part of Intuitive Machines' next lander mission.

Words in This Story

terrain - n. a particular kind of land

vista⁴ - n. a pleasing view, especially one enjoyed from a high place

conduct - v. to organize or do something

location - n. a place or position; site

allow - v. to permit

1 terrain   

n.地面，地形，地图

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• He knows the terrain of this locality like the back of his hand.他对这一带的地形了如指掌。

2 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

3 permanently   

adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地

参考例句：

• The accident left him permanently scarred.那次事故给他留下了永久的伤疤。
• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London.该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。

4 vista   

n.远景，深景，展望，回想

参考例句：

• From my bedroom window I looked out on a crowded vista of hills and rooftops.我从卧室窗口望去，远处尽是连绵的山峦和屋顶。
• These uprisings come from desperation and a vista of a future without hope.发生这些暴动是因为人们被逼上了绝路，未来看不到一点儿希望。

5 vistas   

长条形景色( vista的名词复数 )； 回顾； 展望； （未来可能发生的）一系列情景

参考例句：

• This new job could open up whole new vistas for her. 这项新工作可能给她开辟全新的前景。
• The picture is small but It'shows broad vistas. 画幅虽然不大，所表现的天地却十分广阔。

6 currently   

adv.通常地，普遍地，当前

参考例句：

• Currently it is not possible to reconcile this conflicting evidence.当前还未有可能去解释这一矛盾的例证。
• Our contracts are currently under review.我们的合同正在复查。

7 flex   

n.皮线，花线；vt.弯曲或伸展

参考例句：

• We wound off a couple of yards of wire for a new lamp flex.我们解开几码电线作为新的电灯花线。
• He gave his biceps a flex to impress the ladies.他收缩他的肱二头肌以吸引那些女士们的目光。

8 expertise   

n.专门知识(或技能等)，专长

参考例句：

• We were amazed at his expertise on the ski slopes.他斜坡滑雪的技能使我们赞叹不已。
• You really have the technical expertise in a new breakthrough.让你真正在专业技术上有一个全新的突破。