NASA is developing lunar rovers to support the Moon Base program, focusing on terrain mapping, scientific research, and resource prospecting. The agency is currently testing the VIPER rover, which is scheduled for a 2027 mission to the lunar South Pole to search for water. The rover will travel over 30 kilometers to collect environmental data.
NASA has contracted Astrolab and Lunar Outpost to develop Lunar Terrain Vehicles (LTVs) capable of transporting crew and cargo. These vehicles are designed to support three moonwalks per mission, carry up to 80 kilograms of samples, and travel 10 kilometers on a single charge. Blue Origin is tasked with delivering these LTVs to the lunar surface by 2028.
Astrolab is preparing its CLV-1 rover, with a precursor robotic mission, FLIP, scheduled for late 2026. Meanwhile, Lunar Outpost is refining its Pegasus rover, building on data from its MAPP robotic platform. Both companies are conducting mockup evaluations with astronauts and are scheduled to deliver flight-ready hardware to NASA by the end of 2027.
