Portrait of a moon buggy | Space photo of the day for May 19, 2025

NASA’s prototype for a lunar terrain vehicle (LTV) glows in this 2024 portrait.

What is it?

As NASA plans to return humans to the moon as part of the Artemis program, the space agency is looking at how to enable astronauts to work on the lunar surface at the south pole. Those efforts included the design of an unpressurized rover prototype, known as the ground test unit.

The eight-wheeled prototype was used to evaluate different rover concepts, leading up to and through the April 2024 selection of three companies — Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost and Venturi Astrolab — to supply lunar terrain vehicles (LTV).

“The Ground Test Unit [helps] NASA teams on the ground test and understand all aspects of rover operations on the lunar surface ahead of Artemis missions,” said Jeff Somers, engineering lead for the ground test unit in October 2024. “The GTU allows NASA to be a smart buyer, so we are able to test and evaluate rover operations while we work with the LTV contractors and their hardware.”

Where is it?

The Ground test Unit was designed, developed and tested at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. This photo was taken inside the West High Bay Tower of Johnson’s Building 49.

Why is it amazing?

Well, don’t take our word for it — photographers Bill Stafford and Helen Arase Vargas were awarded third place award for this portrait of the ground test unit as part of NASA Headquarters’ 2024 Picture of the Year contest.

Want to learn more?

You can read more about NASA’s needs for an unpressurized moon rover and the selection of U.S. companies to build lunar terrain vehicles (LTV).