NASA takes delivery of three electric vans to transport astronauts to launch pad

NASA has received three units of Canoo electric vans which have been tasked to ferry astronauts from their respective quarters to the launch pad area ahead of the crucial Artemis moon missions. Canoo is an EV-manufacturing company which is based in Detroit and has its production facility in Texas' Justin.

While Canoo offers a number of utility-based electric vans to customers at large, the units supplied to NASA are special and exclusive. The Crew Transportation Vehicles (CTVs) have been designed with inputs from NASA. It is reported that cabin space has been of special focus because the astronauts being ferried inside wear special space survival suits.

The Canoo CTVs will be able to ferry four astronauts at a time. There is also a special section inside the EVs where equipment can be stored while there is also space for a support technician on launch date.

But apart from the cabin space details, NASA says inputs have also been shared on the aesthetic aspect of the CTVs which now replace Astrovans that have been ferrying astronauts on launch date since 1984. "We are thrilled to be a part of the Artemis missions and to deliver NASA’s first zero-emission built for mission crew transportation vehicles," said Tony Aquila, Canoo’s CEO. “It’s a very proud day for Canoo and all of our partners who worked so hard to ensure we perform our part to transport the astronauts for the first nine miles of every launch."

The Canoo electric CTVs will be deployed at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and will be tasked with transporting astronauts on a crucial Artemis II mission in November of 2024.