WASHINGTON / RankWire.AI / – On Tuesday, October 20, NASA shared an update highlighting advancements in both crewed and robotic lunar rovers, as part of its efforts to establish a sustained human presence on the Moon. The agency released a Moon Base video update, showcasing progress on vehicles designed for science and transportation, critical to the lunar surface exploration strategy. Robert Pickle, head of the Surface Mobility Office in the Moon Base Program, emphasized that lunar rovers are vital to NASA’s surface mobility plans.
Scheduled to land near the Moon’s South Pole in 2027, the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) will analyze permanently shadowed craters, aiming to identify water and other resources essential for future explorers. A Blue Origin Blue Moon Mark 1 lander will deliver VIPER to the lunar surface. The rover is anticipated to traverse over 30 kilometers, collecting data on temperature, light, and terrain. Currently, VIPER is fully assembled at Johnson Space Center in Houston, undergoing final testing before moving to Kennedy Space Center in Florida for launch. During its planned 100-day mission, it will be operated by engineers from Ames Research Center in California. Blue Origin secured the delivery contract in September 2025 through a Commercial Lunar Payload Services task order valued at up to $190 million.
Astrolab and Lunar Outpost develop crewed lunar vehicles
NASA has issued task orders to Astrolab and Lunar Outpost to develop lunar terrain vehicles capable of transporting astronauts, equipment, and samples. Astrolab is creating its CLV-1, based on the company’s FLEX platform, while Lunar Outpost is working on 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, with Blue Origin holding a task order to land them at the South Pole by 2028.
These vehicles will be stationed on the Moon ahead of crewed Artemis missions. Controlled remotely from Earth, operators will be able to drive them up to 6 kilometers daily to map the lunar surface. A single battery charge will support trips up to 10 kilometers. Each rover is designed to facilitate up to three moonwalks per Artemis mission and carry up to 80 kilograms of samples and tools. They are built to endure temperatures as low as minus 203 degrees Celsius in permanently shadowed regions.
Prototypes and precursor missions make strides
Lunar Outpost has scheduled its preliminary design review for October, while Astrolab expects to complete its review by the end of December. Astrolab has already delivered a CLV-1 mockup to Axiom Space for astronaut evaluation. Lunar Outpost has built two mockups and sent a static version to Johnson Space Center. Astrolab’s FLIP rover is slated to fly aboard Griffin Mission One in late 2026, with a second Lunar Outpost MAPP rover set for launch early in 2027.
These developments follow NASA’s return to crewed lunar missions with the Artemis II mission in April. Blue Origin intends to launch its Blue Moon landers aboard the New Glenn rocket. NASA highlighted that terrain vehicles will allow astronauts to reach diverse geological sites on the Moon. The agency plans to leverage VIPER’s data to identify optimal locations for future water ice harvesting. Overall, the combination of robotic and crewed lunar vehicles is designed to support a sustainable human presence at the lunar South Pole.