Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Technologies

 

A NEW PARTNERING OPPORTUNITY

Reference No: 80JSC022EHP

Purpose:

The NASA Extravehicular Activity (EVA) and Human Surface Mobility (HSM) Program

(EHP) seeks to work with partners to advance the technologies associated with human

surface mobility in support of NASA’s Artemis missions. The EHP vision is to provide 

safe, reliable, and effective EVA and HSM capabilities that allow astronauts to survive 

and work outside the confines of a spacecraft on and around the Moon. Artemis missions 

will return humans to the surface of the Moon using innovative technologies to explore 

more of the lunar surface than ever before. We will collaborate with commercial and 

international partners and establish the first long-term presence on the Moon. Then, we 

will use what we learn on and around the Moon to take the next giant leap: sending the 

first astronauts to Mars.

EHP Flight Projects are Exploration EVA suits (xEVA suits) and tools, Lunar Terrain 

Vehicle (LTV), and Pressurized Rover (PR). For more information, reference the EHP 

website here: Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility - NASA.

The EHP and partners will collaborate on developing lunar surface capabilities to reduce 

risk and increase productivity of EHP Flight Projects during Artemis missions. Focus will 

be on technologies that mitigate risk for lunar surface systems that will provide mission 

planners with more choices, thereby increasing mission success. In pursuing these types 

of capabilities, NASA and potential partners will develop new and improved technologies 

that will provide additional options for terrestrial applications in multiple industries.

Additional Information:

EHP may periodically publish in Appendices to this announcement identifying specific 

technologies under current development to further inform potential collaboration 

opportunities. An example of one such technology being developed is described in 

Appendix A - Lunar Dust level sensor and Effects on Surfaces (LDES). For access to this 

export-controlled document, please email the points of contact below. (Document can be 

found at Sam.gov.).

EHP periodically places informational reference documents that relate to lunar human 

surface mobility accessible by industry in the EHP Technical Library. Access to the 

technical library requires Login.gov access. Follow the prompts to gain access. Once 

access has been granted, the informational documents related to this announcement is in 

the ‘EHP Technology Integration’ folder, in which you will find information on the 

following (major updates to the technical library content will also be updated here):

- LDES – initial ground test results regarding the magnitude of thermal impact that 

lunar dust has on surfaces.

- 84S Lunar Terrain Model – a terrain model of the lunar south pole (below the 84 

South latitude) which can be used as an early reference data set to enable initial 

studies of the lunar terrain.

Additionally, NASA has made available to the public the Digital Lunar Exploration Sites 

Unreal Simulation Tool (DUST) which is an early 3D visualization application of the 
lunar south pole. Its intended use is for early inspection, mission planning, and analysis 

of lunar landing and traverse sites for HLS and Artemis Base Camp. This application and 

the supporting toolkit built from DUST are used to provide distributable lunar 

environments and tools to support rendering and exporting terrain, multi-display 

facilities, and connections to Trick-based simulations. It can be attained at the following 

link: Digital Lunar Exploration Sites Unreal Simulation Tool (DUST) Products(MSC27522-1) | NASA Software Catalog.

Technology:

EHP Technology goals include, but are not limited to, overcoming environmental and 

long mission duration challenges. Lunar environmental challenges include operating in 

dust (lunar regolith), radiation, and extreme temperatures. Martian environmental 

challenges are operating in Martian carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere and 1/3g, driving the 

need for low size, weight, and power. Long mission durations drive sustainability and 

maintainability challenges. Some technology areas of interest include, but are not limited 

to dust mitigation capabilities, EVA systems, local relative navigation, increased battery 

capacity and reduced charge time, and advanced mobility concepts capable of sustained 

operation while minimizing maintenance in a lunar environment for an extended service 

period. Each system will be required to operate in the extreme environment of cis-lunar 

orbit and/or the lunar south pole, including inside Permanently Shadowed Regions 

(PSRs) and onto Mars.

Intellectual Property (IP):

This potential Partnership may produce new IP that could be jointly owned by NASA and 

the partner or may become the property of the partner. Standard clauses for partnership 

agreements are provided in the appendices of the Space Act Agreements Guide, NAII 

1050-1. These standard clauses are usually used without any changes. Any deviations 

from the standard intellectual property clauses are reviewed by NASA Office of the 

General Counsel at the Headquarters and/or Center-level, as appropriate and approved by 

NASA Partnerships Office.

Potential Commercial Applications:

Lunar, undersea, automotive, nuclear, space tourism, personal protective equipment 

(PPE) ...

Keywords:

Mobility, spacesuit, rover, vehicle, power infrastructure, sustainable, dust, 

communication architecture, relative navigation and localization, regolith, lunar terrain 

vehicle, LTV, pressurized rover, PR, lunar, Artemis, moon, ISS, LEO

Contact Information:

Technology Development and Partnerships Manager, 

EVA & Human Surface Mobility Program

Email: Michael.a.berdich@nasa.gov

Partnership Manager, 

JSC’s Partnership Development Office

Email: jsc-partnerships@mail.nasa.gov