WASHINGTON / RankWire.AI / – In a recent update, NASA outlined its advancements regarding both crewed and robotic rovers intended for lunar exploration, as part of its preparations for establishing a permanent base on the Moon. The agency shared a Moon Base video update on Tuesday, October 20, which covered developments related to science rovers and crew transportation vehicles. Robert Pickle, who manages the Surface Mobility Office within the Moon Base Program, emphasized that lunar rovers are fundamental to NASA’s surface mobility approach.
Scheduled for 2027, the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, known as VIPER, will traverse the Moon’s South Pole region. Its mission includes analyzing permanently shadowed craters to locate water and other resources essential for future crews. A Blue Origin Blue Moon Mark 1 lander will deliver the rover to the lunar surface. VIPER is projected to cover over 30 kilometers, collecting data on temperature, lighting, and terrain conditions.
The rover is currently fully assembled at Johnson Space Center in Houston, where it is undergoing final testing phases. Following this, it will be transported to Kennedy Space Center in Florida for launch. During its planned 100-day operation, engineers at Ames Research Center in California will oversee VIPER. In September 2025, Blue Origin secured the delivery contract through a Commercial Lunar Payload Services task order valued at up to $190 million.
Construction of crew-capable lunar vehicles by Astrolab and Lunar Outpost underway
NASA has assigned task orders to Astrolab and Lunar Outpost to develop lunar terrain vehicles designed to carry astronauts, transport equipment, and gather samples. Astrolab is creating its CLV-1, based on its FLEX platform. Meanwhile, Lunar Outpost is working on Pegasus, a lighter variant 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 these vehicles at the South Pole by 2028.
These vehicles will be stationed on the Moon ahead of crewed Artemis missions. They will be remotely operated by controllers on Earth, capable of covering up to 6 kilometers daily for surface mapping. With a single battery charge, trips of up to 10 kilometers are feasible. Each rover will support as many as three moonwalks per Artemis mission and carry up to 80 kilograms of samples and tools. They are engineered to withstand temperatures as low as minus 203 degrees Celsius in permanently shadowed regions.
Prototype developments and preliminary missions move forward
Lunar Outpost has scheduled its preliminary design review for October, while Astrolab anticipates completing 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 shipped a third static version to Johnson Space Center. Additionally, Astrolab’s FLIP rover is set to launch aboard Griffin Mission One in late 2026. A second Lunar Outpost MAPP rover is planned for launch early in 2027.
These rover initiatives follow NASA’s return to crewed lunar missions with the Artemis II mission in April. Blue Origin also plans to deploy its Blue Moon landers on the New Glenn rocket. NASA stated that terrain vehicles will enable astronauts to access geologically diverse lunar areas. The data gathered by VIPER will be crucial in planning future missions where water ice might be accessible. Overall, these robotic and crewed rovers aim to support a sustainable human presence at the lunar South Pole.