In what was supposed to be a charge into the new future of lunar exploration and electric vehicles, NASA’s Artemis program has once again taken a step into the past. TechCrunch reports that the agency, alongside other government agencies, will no longer use Canoo’s EV vans for crew transport of Artemis astronauts.
In a December report, TechCrunch shared that NASA told them they no longer plans to use the three Canoo vehicles it purchased for Artemis crew transport due to the company’s bankruptcy and sale, even after the founder shared he would continue to support the government programs.
NASA is joined by the US Postal Service, which purchased six EVs, in ending its use of the vehicles. The DoD did not confirm to TechCrunch whether it also stopped using the Canoo vehicles it acquired.
Replacing Canoo will be a brand that is steeped in NASA crew transport history, Airstream. NASA will lease Boeing’s “Astrovan II” from the company for launch day, which it uses for crewed launches of its Starliner crewed missions.
A modified Airstream Excella motorhome was also used during the Space Shuttle Program for its crew transport duties, driving between the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building to either LC-39A or LC-39B. NASA’s Space Launch System, the rocket tasked with launching Artemis crews to the Moon, uses LC-39B for its missions, nine miles away from the centrally located Armstrong building where the crew suits up. This is why crew transport vehicles are required.
NASA took delivery of Canon’s three modified EV vans back in 2023 and even conducted several tests and trial runs with them. It was supposed to be a shining light to a new age where everyone would be driving electric cars in just a few years while NASA began building its lunar outpost.
Both those realities have been delayed; however, the connection with Canoo and Artemis seems to be permanently severed.
