Canoo wins NASA’s Artemis crew transport vehicle contract

Enlarge / Canoo's lifestyle vehicle will be too small to fit NASA's needs, but perhaps the Artemis Crew Transport Vehicle will look like a stretched-out version of this van. (credit: Canoo)

When astronauts finally return to the Moon with NASA's Artemis project, their journey to the launchpad will be fully electric. The space agency has been looking for a replacement for its early 1980s-era Astrovan, and this week it awarded a contract to electric vehicle startup Canoo.

NASA had a number of requirements for the Artemis transport vehicle when it issued the contract opportunity in 2021.

The agency said it would consider both commercial and non-commercial vehicles but that the crew transport vehicle must produce zero emissions and be designed and built according to current federal vehicle safety standards. The vehicle also needs to be able to carry a driver, four suited-up astronauts, and three extra personnel.

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