Moon RACER Evolves: How Feedback from NASA is Driving a New Era of Lunar Mobility

Hunter Christian
Apr 24
4 min read

Updated: Apr 25

The Intuitive Machines-led Moon RACER team has incorporated NASA, teammate, and external expert design modifications and completed a second round of Crew Assessment Testing and Safety ahead of an anticipated Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) next phase award selection.

The Moon RACER team has built on the momentum of the first round of Crew Assessment Testing and Safety Phase I (CATS I), and Human-In-The-Loop (HITL) testing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center to incorporate design upgrades to its LTV, focused on astronaut safety, mobility, and operational efficiency. These updates reflect the team’s continued commitment to delivering a vehicle that meets the evolving needs of NASA’s Artemis campaign, with human-centric innovations tailored for both exploration and contingency scenarios on the lunar surface. If selected for NASA’s LTV delivery and demonstration mission, Intuitive Machines’ Moon RACER team would enable remote operations of the LTV between Artemis missions for approximately 10 years, establishing the ongoing commercial scientific discovery and long-term human exploration.  

The most recent milestone—Crew Assessment Testing and Safety Phase II (CATS II)—marks a key moment in that journey, as NASA astronauts helped validate improvements for the LTV. 

A timeline of continuous progress:

In under a year, the Intuitive Machines-led Moon RACER team has transformed a concept into a driving reality—guided by expert feedback aimed to provide the best one-stop-shop solution for LTV, surface delivery, and data transmission services. Since NASA selected the Intuitive Machines-led team for one of its LTV Services Feasibility Assessment contracts in April 2024, Intuitive Machines has: 

Completed a full-scale static mock-up and Crew Assessment Test & Safety Phase I with Apollo legends Charlie Duke and Harrison Schmitt, along with Shuttle-era and International Space Station astronauts in September 2024, giving Moon RACER the benefit of hard-won experience from humanity’s only lunar drivers.
Conducted field testing on the terrestrial Moon Racer mock-up at Meteor Crater National Landmark in November 2024, simulating lunar terrain and stress-testing robotic systems. 
Completed NASA Human-in-the-Loop Testing at Johnson Space Center in December 2024, where astronauts in pressurized spacesuits evaluated the Moon RACER’s mock-up controls, displays, and safety features in mission-like conditions.
Used CATS Phase I and Human-in-the-Loop feedback to drive hardware and software modifications—including seatbelt usability, control ergonomics, dual-driver capability, and visibility enhancements.

 This month, the team completed CATS II—bringing the newly improved terrestrial mock-up Moon RACER back before NASA astronauts, who may one day drive it on the lunar surface. 

 “We’re grateful to work alongside NASA as one team to transform feedback into action,” said Intuitive Machines LTV Lead Gary Spexarth. “Iteration is where ideas evolve into impact, and every refinement brings us closer to delivering a solution that may redefine what’s possible for our customers on the Moon.”

CATS II Feedback Applied:  

Improved Front Deck Access to Mast-Mounted Payloads 

The front deck has been modified based on crew feedback to allow improved access to mast-mounted payloads. The updated configuration reduces physical strain and increases stability during ingress/egress maneuvers, particularly during extravehicular activities. 

Refined Crew Compartment Entry & Incapacitated Crew Rescue (ICR) 

A newly optimized crew compartment provides easier and faster ingress and egress, even while wearing full pressurized suits. Notably, the vehicle now includes hardware and structural features designed to support Incapacitated Crew Rescue (ICR) operations, enabling a second astronaut to safely recover and secure a pressurized-suited crewmate in an emergency. 

These additions represent a critical step toward meeting NASA’s requirements for safe crew return under all lunar conditions.

Human-centered Interior for Full Anthro Range 

We’ve enhanced seat and controller adjustability to support the full anthropometric range of suited astronauts. These refinements maintain excellent visibility and control, whether an astronaut is operating the vehicle manually or coordinating tasks in tandem with robotic systems. 

Streamlined Science Stowage for Suited Operations 

The LTV’s crew and robotic stowage systems were adjusted to streamline science operations. The updated design allows astronauts in pressurized suits to access and manage scientific samples more easily, improving workflow and reducing fatigue during collection, cataloging, and transfer tasks. 

Revised PLUS System for Aft Deck Access 

The Payload and Logistics Utility System (PLUS) has been revised to improve aft deck accessibility. The modifications make it significantly easier for astronauts in pressurized suits to reach and interact with sample stowage containers, optimizing efficiency during back-deck operations. 

“We’ve made targeted design modifications based on direct feedback to approach one of the final contractual reviews before award selection with clarity and confidence,” said Spexarth. “It’s the Moon RACER team’s collective capability, agility, and relentless drive that transforms feedback into function.”

Toward a Lunar Future  

The Moon RACER vehicle is a part of NASA’s Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services (LTVS) contract, which is designed to enable sustained surface mobility across the Moon’s South Pole region for Artemis crews and robotic missions alike. The LTVS feasibility assessment contract is still competitive, as the Intuitive Machines-led Moon RACER team is one of only three vendors vying for the delivery and demonstration mission, which NASA plans to award by the end of 2025.

If selected, Intuitive Machines intends to provide Moon RACER as a service—delivering it to the lunar surface via the Company’s Nova-D cargo-class lander, operating it remotely between missions with its data transmission network, and supporting scientific and commercial applications over a 10-year lifecycle. 

Moon RACER Team:

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