MDA Ltd., a leading provider of advanced technology and services to the rapidly expanding global space industry, announced that it is working with Lockheed Martin and General Motors to integrate MDA’s commercial robotic arm technology on their planned human-rated lunar mobility vehicles.
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The addition of MDA to the industrial lunar vehicle development team follows the announcement of a teaming agreement by Lockheed Martin and General Motors in 2021.
“We are thrilled to be collaborating with industry stalwarts Lockheed Martin and General Motors on this first-of-its-kind initiative to equip their lunar rovers with commercial robotic arms from MDA,” said Mike Greenley, CEO of MDA. “We believe this collaboration will enable all three companies to continue to define the art of the possible, push the boundaries of space innovation, and provide the world’s astronauts with the technology they need to reach further than they ever have before.”
NASA’s Artemis program is scheduled to send humans back to the surface of the Moon in 2025 where they will explore and conduct scientific experiments using a variety of vehicles. The rovers would be permanently stationed on the surface of the Moon where they would be available for use by private and space agency astronauts.
“The Lunar Mobility Vehicle enables exploration of the surface of the Moon in multiple scales and in unprecedented fashion, both for human and robotic exploration and utilization,” said Kirk Shireman, vice president of Lunar Exploration Campaigns at Lockheed Martin Space. “Bringing on MDA’s world-renowned robotics to this vehicle is a major enabler in its capability. Our industry-led commercial development, now with MDA, brings down the cost of access to the Moon for not just NASA, but for international and commercial customers and adds to a truly global Artemis program.”
The announcement was made at the 37th annual Space Symposium in Colorado Springs where Lockheed Martin is showcasing an interactive digital experience of the lunar rover with an MDA robotic arm.
Serving the world from its Canadian home and global offices, MDA (TSX:MDA) is an international space mission partner and a robotics, satellite systems and geointelligence pioneer with a 50-year story of firsts on and above the Earth. With over 2,400 staff across Canada, the US and the UK, MDA is leading the charge towards viable Moon colonies, enhanced Earth observation, communication in a hyper-connected world, and more. With a track record of making space ambitions come true, MDA enables highly skilled people to continually push boundaries, tackle big challenges, and imagine solutions that inspire and endure to change the world for the better, on the ground and in the stars.