John Martin Science 03.11.2022 21:Mar PM EST

Astrolab's FLEX Lunar Rover Rolls Across Death Valley

A prototype of Astrolab's lunar rover drives through Death Valley to showcase its capabilities in hopes of securing a NASA contract ... and eventually traversing the moon's surface.

Beginning Its Life on Death Valley

Astrolab unveiled its newest lunar rover prototype Flexible Logistics and Exploration (FLEX) on March 10, rolling around Death Valley with engineer and former astronaut Chad Hadfield at the helm.

Hadfield had loads of fun while taking the lunar rover for a test drive.

"It was huge fun to drive FLEX today," exclaimed Hadfield after the lunar rover's first test run on the unforgiving terrains of Death Valley. "It was just a joyful day for somebody like me."

Hadfield also emphasized the need for rovers to be designed with a purpose for them to succeed on the moon. He commends Astrolab in getting together the best people and in coming up with the best solution to improve space exploration.

"To see the potential of that design and it immediately appears in my mind's eye ... something that looks a lot like this is gonna be helping people out as we start to live on the moon ... and eventually Mars," said Hadfield.

FLEX exhibited its speed and capability to handle cargo, along with other features that make it versatile.

Flexible Logistics and Exploration (FLEX)

The lunar rover looks like a container mini box on wheels, but it can handle cargo way beyond anyone can expect. FLEX is built to carry 1,500 kg of cargo and two humans if they want to drive the lunar rover manually.

Worthy of its name, FLEX may just be the most flexible lunar rover to date, with payload capability as a focus in its design.

"FLEX really represents a rethinking of how you might approach the surface in that context," said Jaret Matthews, chief executive of Astrolabs and former SpaceX manager. "We're making FLEX to be the most versatile rover ever created, and the primary innovation is the fact that we have this modular payload capability."

The lunar rover also comes with robotic arms to help in gathering materials and other logistical or research purposes. It also has limbs designed to withstand the impact of the moon's unpredictable terrain, helping protect both its cargo and its astronaut drivers.

Astrolab Hopeful To Get FLEX on the Moon

The startup Astrolab is looking to make a splash in the world of space exploration to join private entities like SpaceX get that NASA contract. Astrolab has set its eyes on the Artemis missions.

The Artemis missions are the next big series of revolutionary space efforts. It hopes to bring in exciting new milestones like what the Apollo Missions did last century.

"I would love FLEX to be the first rover that astronauts drive since the Apollo era," said excitedly by Matthews. "We're moving as fast as we can and I think we'll be ready at the first opportunity."

More importantly, the Artemis missions hope to once again place humans on the moon. And Astrolab wants to have FLEX help those humans. If FLEX proves itself, it may even be brought to Mars in the near future.