Photo: YouTube / NASA
NASA is working toward putting man (and woman) back on the Moon by 2024, with the first Artemis program astronauts scheduled to launch into space by the end of the previous year. In preparation, NASA needs a new, more environmentally-friendly Astrovan to ferry the astronauts to the launch pad.
So NASA is outsourcing, sending out a request for information (RFI) asking for proposals on a new Astrovan. The vehicle's official name is Artemis Crew Transportation Vehicle, and it could be a brand new vehicle designed and built for the purpose, an already available vehicle modified for the purpose, or a take on the existing – and quite iconic Astrovan.
“The CTV shall visually embody Artemis to the public; and safely and securely transport the Astronauts and support personnel,” the RFI text reads.
Submissions are now underway, with an October 25 deadline and a June 2023 delivery date. All proposals must take into account several facts, including that the vehicle should be able to carry a crew of eight people: the driver, four fully-suited flight crew members, one suit technician, 1 flight operations director, and one Protective Services agent. At the same time, the vehicle should have storage for six equipment bags, cooling units, miscellaneous stuff, and two entry / exit points for maximized efficiency.
Perhaps just as importantly, the new vehicle must be environmentally-friendly with a zero-emissions drivetrain.
The previous Astrovan, which NASA is open to retrofitting for the Artemis program, is a converted Airstream Excelle RV that entered service in 1983 and is now on display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Center. Before that, a Clark-Cortez motorhome was used.
SpaceX, for example, is using a Tesla Model X to carry crews to the launch pad, while Blue Origin’s Jeff Bezos traveled in a Rivian for the historic New Shepard commercial flight. Meanwhile, Sir Richard Branson rode a custom Trek bike to the Unity 22 spaceplane, flanked by Land Rovers.
“The CTV shall visually embody Artemis to the public; and safely and securely transport the Astronauts and support personnel,” the RFI text reads.
Submissions are now underway, with an October 25 deadline and a June 2023 delivery date. All proposals must take into account several facts, including that the vehicle should be able to carry a crew of eight people: the driver, four fully-suited flight crew members, one suit technician, 1 flight operations director, and one Protective Services agent. At the same time, the vehicle should have storage for six equipment bags, cooling units, miscellaneous stuff, and two entry / exit points for maximized efficiency.
Perhaps just as importantly, the new vehicle must be environmentally-friendly with a zero-emissions drivetrain.
The previous Astrovan, which NASA is open to retrofitting for the Artemis program, is a converted Airstream Excelle RV that entered service in 1983 and is now on display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Center. Before that, a Clark-Cortez motorhome was used.
SpaceX, for example, is using a Tesla Model X to carry crews to the launch pad, while Blue Origin’s Jeff Bezos traveled in a Rivian for the historic New Shepard commercial flight. Meanwhile, Sir Richard Branson rode a custom Trek bike to the Unity 22 spaceplane, flanked by Land Rovers.
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