Space Company Submits Bid for NASA's Next-Generation Lunar Rover Contract
Intuitive Machines Advances Moon RACER Design Following Year-Long Testing Program
A proposal for NASA's Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services contract has been submitted by Intuitive Machines, completing more than a year of design work and testing on its Moon RACER vehicle. The Houston-based space company joins other contractors competing to build, deliver and operate the next generation of lunar rovers for NASA's Artemis program.
NASA is expected to announce the lunar terrain vehicle delivery and demonstration award by the end of 2025. The contract builds on a $30 million award Intuitive Machines received in April 2024 to conduct a feasibility assessment for the lunar terrain vehicle.
Since winning the initial contract, Intuitive Machines and its Moon RACER team have completed several major milestones. They designed and built a static terrestrial mockup with input from Apollo-era moonwalkers Charlie Duke and Harrison Schmitt in September 2024. The team unveiled a drivable mockup at Space Center Houston in November 2024 and completed field testing for mobility and robotics in October 2024.
The company conducted crew assessment testing at NASA's Johnson Space Center in late 2024, where Artemis astronauts evaluated the terrestrial lunar terrain vehicle mockup. Their feedback led to targeted modifications including improved entry and exit capabilities, incapacitated crew rescue capability, and refined science storage. These changes were validated in follow-up testing sessions.
Intuitive Machines integrated a scanning LiDAR system with autonomy software, enabling Moon RACER to navigate uncrewed across complex terrain. The company demonstrated this capability at NASA's Johnson Space Center rock yard in April 2025. The team also activated a six-degrees-of-freedom driver-in-the-loop simulator that replicates one-sixth gravity conditions and terrain from lunar reconnaissance imagery. The simulator accelerates design validation and serves as an astronaut training tool.
The Preliminary Design Review was successfully completed in May 2025, validating that Moon RACER's system-level design aligns with NASA's requirements for durability, safety and performance at the Moon's South Pole.
Combined with Intuitive Machines' cargo-class lander, lunar-validated data transmission network and compatibility with flight-proven launch systems, the company believes Moon RACER offers a complete surface mobility service. The system is designed to deliver, operate and maintain rover services for up to 10 years.
Our Take
This development represents a critical milestone in NASA's Artemis program to return humans to the Moon. Unlike the Apollo-era lunar rovers that were left on the Moon after single missions, these new lunar terrain vehicles are designed for long-term operation and multiple crews. The vehicles will enable astronauts to explore much larger areas around the lunar South Pole, where NASA plans to establish a sustained presence.
The competition between multiple contractors demonstrates the growing commercial space industry's capability to support major NASA missions. The 10-year operational lifespan requirement signals NASA's commitment to building lasting infrastructure on the Moon rather than conducting brief visits. These rovers will be essential for conducting scientific research, resource extraction and establishing the foundation for eventual missions to Mars.