NASA taps firms to deliver Artemis rovers, drones and landers
Astrolab and Lunar Outpost will develop terrain vehicles, while Blue Origin and Firefly Aerospace support rover delivery and the 2028 MoonFall drone mission.
- NASA awarded contracts to Astrolab and Lunar Outpost to build and deliver lunar terrain vehicles (rovers) for the Artemis program.
- Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin was contracted to transport the rovers to the moon's surface using its Mark 1 cargo lander.
- Firefly Aerospace was selected to build a spacecraft that will carry drones from Earth's orbit to the moon.
- These awards are part of NASA's broader strategy of using private companies to support its lunar exploration goals.
NASA has moved ahead with new private-sector support for its lunar exploration plans, assigning work to space companies that will help place robotic systems, terrain vehicles and drones in service for upcoming moon missions.
Under contracts announced on Tuesday, the US space agency awarded Astrolab $219 million and Lunar Outpost $220 million to build and deliver lunar terrain vehicles.
Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin secured a separate $188 million award to transport the rovers to the lunar surface using Mark 1, its uncrewed cargo lunar lander.
Firefly Aerospace was also selected for the MoonFall mission, with NASA choosing the company to build the spacecraft that will carry drones from Earth’s orbit to the moon. The mission is targeted for launch in 2028.
The awards form part of NASA’s broader Artemis programme, which is designed to extend humanity’s presence in space and lay the groundwork for future deep-space exploration.
NASA’s revised Artemis plan, created during President Donald Trump’s first term, calls for infrastructure centred on a moon base, along with vehicles operating on the lunar surface.
The agency’s second Artemis mission launched in April, sending four astronauts around the moon and back. It was one of several precursor missions before the first crewed lunar landing since 1972.
Reuters
