WASHINGTON / RankWire.AI / – NASA has provided updates on its crewed and robotic rover projects, which are crucial for establishing a permanent presence on the Moon. The agency shared a Moon Base video update on Tuesday, October 20. This update covers science-focused robotic rovers and crew transport vehicles. Robert Pickle, who manages the Surface Mobility Office within the Moon Base Program, emphasized that lunar rovers are essential to NASA’s surface mobility plans.
Scheduled for 2027, the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, known as VIPER, will head to the Moon’s South Pole. It will examine shadowed craters, searching for water and other resources useful for future crews. A Blue Origin Blue Moon Mark 1 lander will deliver VIPER to the lunar surface. The rover is expected to travel over 30 kilometers, collecting data on temperature, light, and terrain.
VIPER is now fully assembled at Johnson Space Center in Houston. It is undergoing final testing before moving to Kennedy Space Center in Florida for launch. During its planned 100-day mission, engineers at Ames Research Center in California will operate the rover. Blue Origin secured the delivery contract in September 2025 via a Commercial Lunar Payload Services task order valued at up to $190 million.
Astrolab and Lunar Outpost develop crewed lunar vehicles
NASA has awarded task orders to Astrolab and Lunar Outpost to build lunar terrain vehicles. These will transport astronauts, move equipment, and collect samples. Astrolab is creating its CLV-1, based on its FLEX platform. Lunar Outpost is developing Pegasus, a lighter version of its Eagle rover, designed to seat two astronauts. Both companies aim to deliver operational vehicles to NASA by the end of 2027. Blue Origin holds a task order to land these vehicles at the South Pole by 2028.
These vehicles will be stationed on the Moon ahead of crewed Artemis missions. Earth-based controllers will operate them remotely. They can cover up to 6 kilometers daily to map the lunar surface. One battery charge allows for trips of up to 10 kilometers. Each rover can support up to three moonwalks per Artemis mission and carry as much as 80 kilograms of samples and tools. They are designed to endure temperatures as low as minus 203 degrees Celsius in shadowed regions.
Prototypes and precursor missions make progress
Lunar Outpost plans to complete its preliminary design review in October. Astrolab expects to finish its review by the end of December. Astrolab has also delivered a CLV-1 mockup to Axiom Space for astronaut evaluation. Lunar Outpost has built two mockups and sent a third static version to Johnson Space Center. The FLIP rover from Astrolab will fly aboard Griffin Mission One in late 2026. A second Lunar Outpost MAPP rover is scheduled for launch in early 2027.
This rover work follows NASA’s return to crewed lunar flights with the Artemis II mission in April. Blue Origin plans to launch its Blue Moon landers on the New Glenn rocket. NASA states that terrain vehicles will help astronauts access geologically diverse areas of the Moon. The agency will use VIPER’s data to identify locations where future crews can find usable water ice. Overall, the robotic and crewed rovers are part of NASA’s goal to sustain a human presence at the lunar South Pole.