NASA’s Artemis Astronauts Could Catch a New Ride to the Launchpad

Between 1984 and the finale of the space shuttle era in 2011, NASA astronauts would ride in an  Astrovan—a modified 1983-model Airstream motorhome—from the Operations and Checkout Building at the Florida Kennedy Space Center to the launch pad for liftoff.

For its modern Artemis missions, which will involve sending the first woman and the next man to the moon, the space agency aims to use an “Artemis Crew Transportation Vehicle,” or CTV that’s up-to-date, eco-friendly and capable of seating at least eight to ferry the astronauts from suit-up to launch. 

According to a special notice released Friday, that next-generation carrier could be a non-commercial designed and manufactured vehicle, one that’s commercially available but modifiable, or a “refurbishment of the government-owned 1983 custom Airstream transport vehicle.”

NASA points to multiple requirements for the Artemis CTV in the post. 

It must be a zero-emission vehicle, like those that are battery-electric, plug-in hybrid electric, or fuel cell electric. Four fully suited flight crew members and four others must be able to sit inside of it—at a minimum. The vehicle will also have to be equipped with large doors and room for hefty equipment bags, helmets and cooling units, among other expectations.

Artemis will mark the beginning of a new era of deep space exploration for NASA. The agency’s Administrator Bill Nelson recently said the first human flights associated with the Artemis missions could occur in 2023 or 2024. In the special notice this week, NASA officials note that the “required delivery date of the Artemis CTV system shall be no later than June 2023.” 

They ask firms with products or concepts that meet their requirements to electronically submit capability statements by Oct. 25.