A Milestone in Space Transportation
Canoo Technologies, despite being less prominent in the headlines recently, has achieved a significant milestone by delivering three Crew Transportation Vehicles (CTVs) to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. These electric vans will play a crucial role in NASA’s Artemis lunar missions, transporting astronauts to the launch pad. While Canoo’s electric vans won’t journey to the Moon, they will ensure astronauts travel to their launch site in comfort and style.
Innovations and Future Prospects
The CTVs, based on Canoo’s Lifestyle Vehicle design, are tailored to accommodate astronauts in full gear, along with support crew and equipment. The unique design of these vehicles aims to enhance safety and comfort for the nine-mile trip to the launch pad. Canoo plans to showcase images of the CTV’s interior and exterior later this year, adding an exciting layer of anticipation to this development.
Impact and Context
The Canoo Lifestyle Vehicle is currently priced starting at $39,950, reflecting a $5,200 increase from the initial price announced in May 2021. This price point is for the Delivery variant, which features two front seats and an enclosed cargo area. The more advanced passenger variant’s pricing remains undisclosed, highlighting Canoo’s ongoing evolution in the electric vehicle market.
NASA’s Artemis II mission will mark a critical step towards establishing a permanent presence on the Moon. This mission will test both NASA’s deep space exploration capabilities and the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft with crew members on board for the first time.