Space Applications Services, a Belgian company, has reached an agreement to launch its LUVMI-M rover on the Blue Moon Mark 1 lunar lander developed by Blue Origin. The company announced the deal on September 23, positioning the project as the first fully commercial lunar rover mission from Europe.
The mission relies on private funding through payload reservations and service contracts with customers, including private firms, agencies, and public organizations. While the project previously received support from the European Union, the European Space Agency, and the Belgian Science Policy Office, the current mission model is commercial.
The launch is scheduled for early 2029, marking a delay from the initial target of the fourth quarter of 2027. The LUVMI-M rover, which weighs about 20 kilograms, will be delivered to the lunar south polar region. Mission control will be managed from the company's facilities in Belgium.
The rover is designed to carry up to 20 kilograms of customer payloads. During its baseline mission, which will last between 10 and 14 Earth days, the vehicle is expected to travel up to five kilometers across the surface of the Moon.
