NASA Receives Canoo's Fully Electric Fleet for Artemis Program

NASA's Artemis program has received a fleet of cutting-edge electric vehicles that will transport crews on their final Earth-bound leg of the journey to the Moon. Canoo, an EV manufacturer based out of Torrance, California, delivered three fully electric crew vehicles to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida earlier this week.

This small fleet of three electric cars are zero-emission vehicles customized to meet NASA's unique specifications for Artemis missions. Capable of accommodating four astronauts wearing Orion crew survival system spacesuits, additional support personnel, and specialized equipment, these vehicles will ferry the astronauts to Launch Pad 39B, where they will begin their historic voyage to the Moon.

The creative process behind the design of these vehicles was a collaborative effort between Canoo and a team of experts, including the Artemis launch director and representatives from NASA's Astronaut Office at Johnson Space Center in Houston.

From the conceptual phase to production, a team of experts from Canoo, the Artemis launch director and representatives from NASA's Astronaut Office ensured that every aspect, from the vehicle's interior and exterior markings to its colour and even the wheel wells, was meticulously crafted to meet NASA's requirements while paying homage to the agency's storied history of human spaceflight and exploration.

Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, NASA's Artemis launch director, expressed confidence in the collaboration, stating, "The collaboration between Canoo and our NASA representatives focused on the crews' safety and comfort on the way to the pad ahead of their journey to the Moon. I have no doubt everyone who sees these new vehicles will feel the same sense of pride I have for this next endeavour of crewed Artemis missions."

Historically, during launch operations for NASA's Apollo and Space Shuttle Programs at Kennedy Space Center, crews were transported to the launch pad using Astro vans. While the path to the pad may appear similar, the mode of transportation has evolved with the times.

Before its use in Artemis II, the first crewed mission under the Artemis program that will take four astronauts around the Moon and back, NASA will employ the fleet of vehicles for astronaut training exercises at the spaceport. With astronauts on board, this 10-day flight will be a crucial test for NASA's foundational human deep space exploration capabilities, including the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft.

The successful completion of this mission will pave the way for future lunar surface missions, including the historic landing of the first woman and the first person of colour on the Moon.

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