NASA has narrowed its Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) contract to two competitors: Lunar Outpost and Astrolab. The LTV must operate crewed and semi-autonomously, survive temperature swings from -200 to 200 degrees Celsius, and navigate terrain that will shred conventional tires and clog any exposed mechanical system with abrasive regolith.
The Lunar Outpost candidate solves specific problems in specific ways. Wire mesh tires replace pneumatics entirely. An onboard electric current actively pulls lunar dust downward and under the chassis to keep it out of the cab. The two seats are oversized to accommodate pressurized spacesuits, with a lift assist to get astronauts in and out. A robotic arm handles sample collection during uncrewed missions, making the vehicle useful whether or not anyone is riding in it.
The full video, hosted by Cleo Abram and Michelle Khare, shows the vehicle doing actual field tests, not renders. That footage is worth watching because the engineering tradeoffs become visible in motion, and the scale of the cab relative to a suited operator clarifies why every dimension on this truck was a deliberate decision. Artemis crewed lunar surface operations are still years out, with the south pole as the primary target for water ice prospecting.
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