NASA has awarded Astrolab and its partners a contract worth up to $1.9 billion to advance the development of the Lunar Terrain Vehicle, which will help Artemis astronauts explore more of the Moon’s surface. Astrolab is one of three teams to win contract awards. We are excited that NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration intends to use Astrolab’s Flexible Logistics & Exploration (FLEX) rover for crewed operations beginning with Artemis V in 2029, and will use the rover on prior uncrewed missions, operating FLEX remotely from Earth. Read the full announcement: https://lnkd.in/gmh9bGcN
Astrolab
Defense and Space Manufacturing
Hawthorne, California 11,648 followers
We build rovers for the Moon & Mars.
About us
Venturi Astrolab, Inc. (Astrolab) is pioneering new ways to explore and operate on distant planetary bodies. We are singularly focused on designing, building and operating a fleet of multi-purpose commercial planetary rovers to extend and enhance humanity’s presence in the solar system. Headquartered in Hawthorne, California, we are an American-owned and American-operated small business. Our team has more than five decades of experience in terrestrial and planetary robotics, electric vehicles, human spaceflight, and human intelligence field operations. Our stellar team, strategic partnerships with cutting-edge companies and institutions combine with our world-class manufacturing, integration and test facility will enable the delivery of lunar and Mars mobility solutions at maximum reliability, flexibility and cost effectiveness. Having a strong, diverse, and inspired team is essential to accomplishing our bold mission. Employees are our biggest asset, and we are deeply committed to them and our values. At Astrolab we… Demonstrate and inspire trust. Interactions are direct, honest, and respectful. We are fair and transparent with what we do and why. Thrive in balance. Balance gives us perspective and keeps us motivated and inspired. We commit to rewarding work and a fulfilling personal life. Seek diverse perspectives. We ask questions, engage in productive debate and offer alternatives to ensure our solutions and products are robust and a reflection of our collective best. Move with purpose. Quality and reliability are accomplished through efficient ideation and iteration. We act with a sense of urgency and deliver what we promise, always with the big picture in mind. Make an impact. We intentionally move our community and industry into the future through our work, practices, and actions. Check out our website for current openings and help us drive the future of planetary exploration & development!
- Website
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https://astrolab.space/
External link for Astrolab
- Industry
- Defense and Space Manufacturing
- Company size
- 11-50 employees
- Headquarters
- Hawthorne, California
- Type
- Privately Held
- Founded
- 2019
Locations
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Primary
Hawthorne, California 90250, US
Employees at Astrolab
Updates
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*SN1 powering on* If you've seen our FLEX prototype driving around here on social media, you've probably seen SN1 (aka serial number 1). This is the primary prototype of our lunar rover we have been using for testing, allowing us to perfect our designs, test autonomous sensors, and even perform tests with astronauts on board. We do also have a SN2 version of FLEX which resides primarily over in Europe. If you want to see SN2 in person, come say hi at IAC in Milan in October. While FLEX's design has changed a bit from this initial prototype, it's still a great demonstration of the idea and design of FLEX. We still frequently use it for testing everywhere from the lab to the desert. #space #lunarrover #engineering #Astrolab
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Astrolab reposted this
With the exception of the Apollo missions, every other vehicle in the history of space exploration has been equipped with rigid wheels. The Venturi wheel, designed and manufactured for the Astrolab rover, is different. Hyper-deformable, it has the capacity to warp significantly, absorbing terrain irregularities while retaining its robustness and endurance. It can handle slopes steeper than 20 degrees, far beyond the 8-degree limit of rigid wheels. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/dm3tsvAc #Venturi #PoweredByInnovation #FromMonacoToTheMoon #SpaceExploration #Innovation
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It was a full house this past weekend as we welcomed alumni of the Brooke Owens Fellowship to Astrolab HQ for their alumni summit! The Brooke Owens Fellowship is an award-winning fellowship offering paid internships and mentorship for exceptional undergraduate women and gender-minority students in aerospace. We are also a host institution for fellows, and were proud to host them this summer. We were thrilled to support this program and meet so many incredible former fellows, as well as keynote speaker, director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory Dr. Laurie Leshin. #brookeowensfellowship #space #astrolab #spaceexploration #aerospacecareers
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Astrolab is HIRING! Direct from our technical recruiter Brooks S. Jones and CEO Jaret Matthews, here's what we look for in new additions to the Astrolab team.
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Last week it was time for wheels in the dirt for our lunar rover once again! Check out more pictures from our test of FLEX that NASA astronauts Kayla Barron and Kate Rubins participated in. #LunarRover #Astrolab #Engineering #Space #SpaceExporation #astronaut
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Just a typical day (not) in the office!
Office field trip! Excited to test our Flex Rover and witness the team’s exceptional design, assembly, and engineering firsthand. This is a game changer! 🚀#EngineeringExcellence #TeamWork #Innovation #SpaceTech #Astrolab #STEMcareers Astrolab
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What is a car without a driver? Astrolab was thrilled to welcome NASA astronauts Kayla Barron and Kate Rubins to El Segundo last week for an Astrolab test of the FLEX rover. Though FLEX can drive autonomously, another primary use is also planned to be a lunar rover to move astronauts around the lunar surface. By having NASA participate in this Astrolab test, we are able to get feedback from crew members that have flown to space on crucial human factor elements to our design.
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FLEX has been getting visitors from all over the world! Thanks to our recent visitors who have stopped by Astrolab HQ for a tour.
Q: The SpaceX Starship will repeatedly deliver thousands of tons of payload to the Moon, but how will this precious cargo be unloaded and transported once it’s there? A: Fleets of Astrolab FLEX rovers! Astrolab was kind enough to give me a tour of their SoCal HQ last week. We talked about field testing campaigns, visions for the future, and technical capabilities of FLEX. I even got to drive around Shackleton Crater in a FLEX rover through their custom VR experience! 🔥Fun fact: FLEX rovers can drive up to 15 kph. (For context, NASA’s VIPER rover was slated to drive at a top speed of ~2 kph.) So… turns out the FLEX rover is pretty legit 💅 I can’t wait to see them in action one day. Thanks for showing me such a great time Kelly Randell & Alex Henry, MBA. See you in Milan!