SpaceX To Rocket To The Moon With Possibly The Largest Lunar Rover

Space exploration startup firm Venturi Astrolab Inc. has designed what might be the largest rover which SpaceX will deliver the largest lunar rover onto the Moon by mid-2026. The current planetary vehicle to take that top spot is Perseverance on Mars which is about the size of a midsized sedan. Engadget likens Astrolab’s version to that of a Jeep Wrangler.
 
The Flexible Logistics and Exploration (FLEX) rover is scheduled onto the 2,200 lb payload that SpaceX has planned for its next-generation Starship flights. The project is a lofty one, considering these new rockets have yet to be launched into orbit.

Nevertheless, FLEX is meant to do some heavy lifting on the Moon, such as enduring the lunar south pole. Founder Jaret Matthews told SpaceNews that since it can travel around 1,200 miles a year, it didn’t particularly matter where it landed.
 
However, the team believes much of the activity is happening in the southernmost parts. Astrolab aims for the vehicle to transport equipment, supplies, and even people (it can carry two astronauts) over the lunar terrain. It will have a combined rover and cargo mass of over two tons once operations begin, opening it up to explore more of the surface.

“Astrolab designed the FLEX rover to transport and deploy payloads in a modular system. Astrolab seeks to prove the benefits of having a highly capable and versatile rover to establish infrastructure, conduct high-priority science, and deploy technology demos and other specialized systems on the lunar surface,” states the company.

In addition, Astrolab plans to enter the FLEX into NASA’s Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) competition, which will assess its suitability for the Artemis missions.
 
 
 
[via Engadget and Futurism, images via Astrolab]