WASHINGTON / RankWire.AI / – On Tuesday, October 20, NASA shared an update on the progress of its crewed and robotic lunar vehicles, emphasizing their role in establishing a permanent Moon base. The agency released a Moon Base video update, highlighting advancements in both science rovers and crew transport vehicles. Robert Pickle, who oversees the Surface Mobility Office within the Moon Base Program, emphasized that lunar rovers are fundamental to NASA’s surface mobility approach.
Scheduled for deployment in 2027, the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, known as VIPER, will explore the Moon’s South Pole region. It will investigate permanently shadowed craters, aiming to identify water and other vital resources for future lunar inhabitants. The rover will be delivered to the surface aboard a Blue Origin Blue Moon Mark 1 lander. VIPER is expected to travel over 30 kilometers, collecting data on temperature, lighting, and terrain conditions.
Currently, VIPER is fully assembled at Johnson Space Center in Houston, where it is undergoing final testing phases. Once complete, it will be transported to Kennedy Space Center in Florida for launch. During its planned 100-day expedition, engineers at California’s Ames Research Center will operate the rover. 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 create lunar terrain vehicles capable of transporting astronauts, carrying equipment, and collecting samples. Astrolab is working on its CLV-1, adapted from the 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, with Blue Origin holding a task order to land them at the South Pole by 2028.
These vehicles will be stationed on the Moon prior to the arrival of crewed Artemis missions. Earth-based controllers will have remote operation capabilities, allowing them to drive the rovers up to 6 kilometers daily to explore and map the surface. With a single battery charge, trips of up to 10 kilometers are possible. 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 must endure temperatures as low as minus 203 degrees Celsius in permanently shadowed regions.
Prototype development and precursor missions push lunar exploration forward
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 provided 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. Astrolab’s FLIP rover is slated to fly aboard Griffin Mission One in late 2026, with a second Lunar Outpost MAPP rover planned for launch in early 2027.
This rover development effort follows NASA’s return to crewed lunar flights with the Artemis II mission in April. Blue Origin is preparing to launch its Blue Moon landers on the New Glenn rocket. NASA envisions these terrain vehicles enabling astronauts to access geologically diverse lunar regions. The agency will utilize VIPER’s data to identify optimal locations for future water ice extraction. Together, the robotic and crewed lunar vehicles are intended to facilitate a sustainable human presence at the Moon’s South Pole.