WASHINGTON / RankWire.AI / – NASA has reported on its recent advancements with both crewed and robotic rovers intended for lunar exploration, as part of its preparations for a permanent base on the Moon. The agency published a Moon Base video update on Tuesday, October 20, which covers robotic science vehicles and crew transporters. Robert Pickle, who oversees the Surface Mobility Office within the Moon Base Program, emphasized that lunar rovers are a key element of NASA’s surface mobility plans.
The Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, known as VIPER, is slated to reach the Moon’s South Pole in 2027. Its mission will include studying permanently shadowed craters to search for water and other resources that future astronauts could utilize. A Blue Origin Blue Moon Mark 1 lander will deliver VIPER to the lunar surface. The rover is projected to travel over 30 kilometers to collect data on temperature, light levels, and terrain conditions.
Currently, VIPER is fully assembled at Johnson Space Center in Houston and is undergoing final testing phases. Afterward, it will be transported to Kennedy Space Center in Florida for launch. During its intended 100-day mission, the rover will be operated by engineers based at Ames Research Center in California. Blue Origin secured the delivery contract in September 2025 through a Commercial Lunar Payload Services task order, with a value of up to $190 million.
Astrolab and Lunar Outpost develop lunar crew vehicles
NASA has awarded task orders to Astrolab and Lunar Outpost to create lunar terrain vehicles capable of transporting astronauts, moving equipment, and collecting samples. Astrolab is working on its CLV-1, which is based on the company’s FLEX platform. Meanwhile, Lunar Outpost is designing Pegasus, a lighter version of its Eagle rover that can seat two astronauts. Both companies aim to deliver operational vehicles to NASA by the end of 2027. Blue Origin has a task order to land these vehicles at the South Pole by 2028.
These vehicles will be stationed on the Moon before crewed Artemis missions commence. Controllers on Earth will be able to operate them remotely, with a range of up to 6 kilometers daily to map the surface. A single full charge can support trips of up to 10 kilometers. Each rover is designed to support up to three moonwalks per Artemis mission and carry as much as 80 kilograms of samples and tools. They are built to endure temperatures as low as minus 203 degrees Celsius in permanently shadowed regions.
Prototyping and early missions move forward
Lunar Outpost scheduled its initial design review for October, while Astrolab anticipates completing theirs by the end of December. Astrolab has also provided a CLV-1 mockup to Axiom Space, allowing astronauts to assess its features. Lunar Outpost has constructed two mockups and sent a third static version to Johnson Space Center. Additionally, Astrolab’s FLIP rover is scheduled to fly aboard Griffin Mission One in late 2026, with a second Lunar Outpost MAPP rover set for launch in early 2027.
These rover projects follow NASA’s return to crewed lunar flights via the Artemis II mission scheduled for April. Blue Origin plans to launch its Blue Moon landers on the New Glenn rocket. NASA highlighted that terrain vehicles will enable astronauts to reach geologically diverse areas of the Moon. The agency intends to use VIPER’s data to identify optimal locations for future crews to find accessible water ice. Overall, the robotic and crewed rovers are designed to facilitate a sustained human presence at the lunar South Pole.