NASA Announces Contracts and Timelines for Moon Base Rovers and Landers

NASA has awarded new contracts and outlined launch schedules for lunar rovers and cargo landers critical to establishing the first sustained Moon Base and supporting upcoming Artemis astronaut missions at the lunar South Pole.

What happened

During a Moon Base event at NASA Headquarters in Washington, the agency announced contracts with companies including Astrolab, Lunar Outpost, Blue Origin, and Firefly Aerospace to develop crewed lunar terrain vehicles (LTVs) and cargo landers. These vehicles will support Moon Base operations and pave the way for astronaut exploration starting in 2028.

NASA detailed three initial Moon Base missions designed to begin construction and technology demonstration on the lunar surface:

• Moon Base I (launch no earlier than fall 2026): Using Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 1 Endurance lander, it will deliver payloads such as instruments studying the interaction of thruster plumes on the lunar surface and laser retroreflectors to improve orbital navigation. This mission will land near Shackleton Connecting Ridge to test capabilities for crewed Artemis landings.
• Moon Base II (planned for later in 2026): Astrobotic’s Griffin lander will deliver over 1,100 pounds of cargo including Astrolab’s FLIP rover, which will mature mobility systems for future crewed lunar terrain vehicles.
• Moon Base III (also planned for 2026): Flying payloads on Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C Trinity lander, this mission will study lunar swirls—unique light spots on the Moon—to understand surface changes under extreme conditions. European and South Korean space agency instruments will also participate.

NASA has allocated $219 million to Astrolab and $220 million to Lunar Outpost to develop crewed lunar rovers. Astrolab’s Crewed Lunar Vehicle (CLV-1) is a 2,000-pound rover capable of transporting astronauts and cargo at speeds over 6 mph, while Lunar Outpost’s Pegasus rover offers autonomous and manual driving exceeding 9 mph, designed for up to one year of operation. These vehicles will be operational by 2028 as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program.

Blue Origin received $188 million, with potential for an additional $280.4 million, to deliver payloads and rovers to the lunar surface under CLPS 1.0, supporting sustained human presence development. NASA also announced the launch of the next generation of cargo landers under CLPS 2.0, which introduces more flexible delivery options for extended lunar surface and orbit missions, with proposals due by June 30, 2026.

Additionally, NASA is progressing on its MoonFall mission, targeting 2028 launch. MoonFall will send four drones to perform short hops and survey lunar terrain, capturing high-resolution images of hard-to-reach areas and completing extended operations during the lunar night, marking a continuous U.S. presence at the Moon’s South Pole.

Why it matters

These developments mark critical steps toward NASA’s goal of establishing a permanent human outpost on the Moon, supporting scientific research, technological innovation, and economic opportunities. Early deployment of crewed and uncrewed mobility systems will reduce risks for astronaut missions, facilitate site preparation, resource pre-staging, and terrain characterization for longer stays.

By engaging commercial and international partners and increasing launch cadence, NASA aims to create sustainable lunar operations that serve as a foundation for future human exploration of Mars.

Background

NASA’s Artemis program aims to return astronauts to the Moon by the late 2020s, focusing on the lunar South Pole for its resources and scientific value. The Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative enables private companies to deliver technology demonstrations and cargo to advance Moon exploration capabilities. Moon Base is part of this broader strategy to build infrastructure that supports ongoing human presence and exploration on the lunar surface.

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