NASA has chosen Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost, and Venturi Astrolab to develop lunar terrain rovers for Artemis missions, with contracts worth up to $4.6 billion over 13 years.

The lunar rovers are intended for exploration of the Moon's south pole, an area believed to harbor frozen water, and must support two astronauts and withstand harsh lunar conditions.

These rovers will also be equipped with robotic and remote operation features, expanding their usability in unmanned missions.

Intuitive Machines is noted for being the first private company to successfully land a spacecraft on the Moon, signaling a new era of private-public space collaboration.

An immediate task for the selected companies is to prove the feasibility of their rover designs to meet NASA's stringent requirements for the Artemis missions.

NASA's Artemis program, which now schedules the Artemis II mission for September 2025 and the lunar landing Artemis III for September 2026, aims for a sustainable lunar presence to prep for future Mars missions.