NATIONWIDE — A company that was contracted to give a fleet of electric vehicle vans so NASA could use them for its Artemis astronauts has filed for bankruptcy.
What You Need To Know
- The three EV vans were supposed to transport Artemis astronauts to the launch pad before going to the moon
- Canoo Technologies Inc. filed for bankruptcy earlier this year
- NASA tells Spectrum News the company was “no longer able to meet our mission” needs
- The space agency will use another transport vehicle, which was built by Boeing and Airstream
In 2022, Canoo Technologies Inc. was contracted to supply three EV vans, listed as “Artemis Crew Transportation Vehicles.”
These fully electric vans were supposed to be environmentally friendly and would not produce emissions as they would take Artemis astronauts to the Space Launch Systems rocket to the moon.
According to the contract, it cost NASA $147,855 for the three vehicles.
However, the California-based company filed for bankruptcy at the start of 2025.
In 2023, Canoo Technologies delivered three EVs to NASA, which the U.S. space agency called Artemis astronauts’ “… final Earth-bound leg of their journey to the Moon before boarding their rocket and spacecraft,” in a press release.
NASA has stated that it will be going with Boeing’s Astrovan instead.
“As of October, NASA is leasing Boeing’s Astrovan to transport crew to the launch pad for the agency’s associated training exercises and Artemis II launch. This change in providers was necessary as Canoo Technologies was no longer able to meet our mission requirements. NASA will evaluate future transportation options,” Artemis Public Affairs specialist Tiffany Fairley stated to Spectrum News in an email.
The Astrovan was built in partnership with Airstream and Boeing, and was used for the NASA-Boeing Starliner mission in 2024.
The Airstream-Boeing Astrovan is seen taking the Starliner crew to the launch pad during the second launch attempt in 2024. (Spectrum News file photo/Anthony Leone)
Spectrum News reached out to Boeing, Airstream and Canoo for comment, with Boeing being the only one who replied, but stated any questions about the Artemis mission should go to NASA.
Anthony Leone, Jon Shaban
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